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17:1 Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it Than a house full of feasting with strife. 17:2 A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, And will share in the inheritance among brothers. 17:3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests hearts. 17:4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips, A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. 17:5 He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished. 17:6 Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons is their fathers. 17:7 Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool; Much less are lying lips to a prince. 17:8 A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers. 17:9 He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends. 17:10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool. 17:11 A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. 17:12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly. 17:13 He who returns evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house. 17:14 The beginning of strife is [like] letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. 17:15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. 17:16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, When he has no sense? 17:17 A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. 17:18 A man lacking in sense pledges, And becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor. 17:19 He who loves transgression loves strife; He who raises his door seeks destruction. 17:20 He who has a crooked mind finds no good, And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil. 17:21 He who begets a fool [does so] to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy. 17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. 17:23 A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom To pervert the ways of justice. 17:24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. 17:25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who bore him. 17:26 It is also not good to fine the righteous, [Nor] to strike the noble for [their] uprightness. 17:27 He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. 17:28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is [counted] prudent.