17:1

טוֹב פַּת חֲרֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־בָהּ מִבַּיִת מָלֵא זִבְחֵי־רִיב׃

Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith, Than a house full of feasting with strife.

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17:2

עֶבֶד־מַשְׂכִּיל יִמְשֹׁל בְּבֵן מֵבִישׁ וּבְתוֹךְ אַחִים יַחֲלֹק נַחֲלָה׃

A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that dealeth shamefully, And shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

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17:3

מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף וְכוּר לַזָּהָב וּבֹחֵן לִבּוֹת יְהוָה׃

The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But the LORD trieth the hearts. .

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17:4

מֵרַע מַקְשִׁיב עַל־שְׂפַת־אָוֶן שֶׁקֶר מֵזִין עַל־לְשׁוֹן הַוֺּת׃

A evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; And a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.

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17:5

לֹעֵג לָרָשׁ חֵרֵף עֹשֵׂהוּ שָׂמֵחַ לְאֵיד לֹא יִנָּקֶה׃

Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker; And he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

17:6

עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים בְּנֵי בָנִים וְתִפְאֶרֶת בָּנִים אֲבוֹתָם׃

Children’s children are the crown of old men; And the glory of children are their fathers.

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17:7

לֹא־נָאוָה לְנָבָל שְׂפַת־יֶתֶר אַף כִּי־לְנָדִיב שְׂפַת־שָׁקֶר׃

Overbearing speech becometh not a churl; Much less do lying lips a prince.

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17:8

אֶבֶן־חֵן הַשֹּׁחַד בְּעֵינֵי בְעָלָיו אֶל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יִפְנֶה יַשְׂכִּיל׃

A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; Whithersoever he turneth, he prospereth.

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17:9

מְכַסֶּה־פֶּשַׁע מְבַקֵּשׁ אַהֲבָה וְשֹׁנֶה בְדָבָר מַפְרִיד אַלּוּף׃

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; But he that harpeth on a matter estrangeth a familiar friend.

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17:10

תֵּחַת גְּעָרָה בְמֵבִין מֵהַכּוֹת כְּסִיל מֵאָה׃

A rebuke entereth deeper into a man of understanding Than a hundred stripes into a fool.

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17:11

אַךְ־מְרִי יְבַקֶּשׁ־רָע וּמַלְאָךְ אַכְזָרִי יְשֻׁלַּח־בּוֹ׃

A rebellious man seeketh only evil; Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

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17:12

פָּגוֹשׁ דֹּב שַׁכּוּל בְּאִישׁ וְאַל־כְּסִיל בְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ׃

Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly.

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17:13

מֵשִׁיב רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה לֹא־תמיש [תָמוּשׁ] רָעָה מִבֵּיתוֹ׃

Whoso rewardeth evil for good, Evil shall not depart from his house.

17:14

פּוֹטֵר מַיִם רֵאשִׁית מָדוֹן וְלִפְנֵי הִתְגַּלַּע הָרִיב נְטוֹשׁ׃

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; Therefore leave off contention, before the quarrel break out.

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17:15

מַצְדִּיק רָשָׁע וּמַרְשִׁיעַ צַדִּיק תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶם׃

He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, Even they both are an abomination to the LORD.

17:16

לָמָּה־זֶּה מְחִיר בְּיַד־כְּסִיל לִקְנוֹת חָכְמָה וְלֶב־אָיִן׃

Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool To buy wisdom, seeing he hath no understanding?

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17:17

בְּכָל־עֵת אֹהֵב הָרֵעַ וְאָח לְצָרָה יִוָּלֵד׃

A friend loveth at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.

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17:18

אָדָם חֲסַר־לֵב תּוֹקֵעַ כָּף עֹרֵב עֲרֻבָּה לִפְנֵי רֵעֵהוּ׃

A man void of understanding is he that striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbour.

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17:19

אֹהֵב פֶּשַׁע אֹהֵב מַצָּה מַגְבִּיהַּ פִּתְחוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־שָׁבֶר׃

He loveth transgression that loveth strife; He that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

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17:20

עִקֶּשׁ־לֵב לֹא יִמְצָא־טוֹב וְנֶהְפָּךְ בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָה׃

He that hath a forward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into evil.

17:21

יֹלֵד כְּסִיל לְתוּגָה לוֹ וְלֹא־יִשְׂמַח אֲבִי נָבָל׃

He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; And the father of a churl hath no joy.

17:22

לֵב שָׂמֵחַ יֵיטִב גֵּהָה וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּרֶם׃

A merry heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth the bones.

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17:23

שֹׁחַד מֵחֵיק רָשָׁע יִקָּח לְהַטּוֹת אָרְחוֹת מִשְׁפָּט׃

A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice.

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17:24

אֶת־פְּנֵי מֵבִין חָכְמָה וְעֵינֵי כְסִיל בִּקְצֵה־אָרֶץ׃

Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

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17:25

כַּעַס לְאָבִיו בֵּן כְּסִיל וּמֶמֶר לְיוֹלַדְתּוֹ׃

A foolish son is vexation to his father, And bitterness to her that bore him.

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17:26

גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק לֹא־טוֹב לְהַכּוֹת נְדִיבִים עַל־יֹשֶׁר׃

To punish also the righteous is not good, Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

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17:27

חוֹשֵׂךְ אֲמָרָיו יוֹדֵעַ דָּעַת וקר־[יְקַר־] רוּחַ אִישׁ תְּבוּנָה׃

He that spareth his words hath knowledge; And he that husbandeth his spirit is a man of discernment.

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17:28

גַּם אֱוִיל מַחֲרִישׁ חָכָם יֵחָשֵׁב אֹטֵם שְׂפָתָיו נָבוֹן׃

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; And he that shutteth his lips is esteemed as a man of understanding.