Proverbs 17 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
During the reign of King Solomon (~970-930 BC)
Location
Jerusalem, Kingdom of Israel
Audience
The people of Israel, particularly young men, court officials, and leaders
Situation
Proverbs 17 continues the collection of Solomon's individual wisdom sayings, using antithetical and synonymous parallelism to contrast wise and foolish behavior.
Key Background
Part of the second major section of Solomonic proverbs (chapters 10-22:16), this chapter addresses themes of family conflict, the power of words, friendship, bribery, and the folly of litigation. Solomon draws on his experience as king and judge to offer practical wisdom about human relationships. The proverbs reflect the values of ancient Israelite society where community reputation, family honor, and peaceful relationships were central to social life.
Better a dry piece of bread with than a house full of with
A will end up in charge of a son, and will share the inheritance among the brothers.
The tests silver and the furnace tests gold, but tests the
A person who does listens eagerly to a liar pays close attention to a
Whoever the insults their whoever celebrates someone else's disaster will not go unpunished.
Grandchildren are the of the and parents are the of their children.
doesn't fit a — how much less do lying lips fit a
A works like a for the one who gives it — wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Whoever an promotes but whoever keeps bringing it up drives friends apart.
A single sinks deeper into a than a hundred blows into a
A is only looking for trouble, so a will be sent against him.
Better to run into a of than to encounter a fool caught up in his
If someone returns for good, will never leave their
Starting a is like a — drop it before the dispute bursts open.
Letting the guilty go free and punishing the innocent — Yahweh them both.
What good is money in the hands of a trying to buy when he has no desire to learn?
A at all and a is born for
A person with no on a and puts up for his neighbor.
Whoever loves loves whoever their is asking for destruction.
A finds nothing good; a falls into trouble.
Whoever fathers a gets there is no joy for the parent of a
A is but a up the
The takes a to pervert the course of
is right in front of the but the fool's eyes wander to the of the
A son brings to his father and to the mother who bore him.
It's not right to the or to beat an for their
The person who their and a person their
Even a is thought if he keeps quiet — if he keeps his mouth shut, he seems