Proverbs 17:3-20:30 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but the LORD trieth the hearts.

JPS_ASV_Byz⁽ⁱ⁾ ³ The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but the LORD trieth the hearts. ⁴ A evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; and a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue. ⁵ Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker; and he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished. ⁶ Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. ⁷ Overbearing speech becometh not a churl; much less do lying lips a prince. ⁸ A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; whithersoever he turneth, he prospereth. ⁹ He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that harpeth on a matter estrangeth a familiar friend. ¹⁰ A rebuke entereth deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred stripes into a fool. ¹¹ A rebellious man seeketh only evil; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. ¹² Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly. ¹³ Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house. ¹⁴ The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off contention, before the quarrel break out. ¹⁵ He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, even they both are an abomination to the LORD. ¹⁶ Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, seeing he hath no understanding? ¹⁷ A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. ¹⁸ A man void of understanding is he that striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his neighbour. ¹⁹ He loveth transgression that loveth strife; he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction. ²⁰ He that hath a froward heart findeth no good; and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into evil. ²¹ He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; and the father of a churl hath no joy. ²² A merry heart is a good medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones. ²³ A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the ways of justice. ²⁴ Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. ²⁵ A foolish son is vexation to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him. ²⁶ To punish also the righteous is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness. ²⁷ He that spareth his words hath knowledge; and he that husbandeth his spirit is a man of discernment. ²⁸ Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed as a man of understanding. ¹⁸ ¹ He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, and snarlest against all sound wisdom. ² A fool hath no delight in understanding, but only that his heart may lay itself bare. ³ When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach. ⁴ The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters; a flowing brook, a fountain of wisdom. ⁵ It is not good to respect the person of the wicked, so as to turn aside the righteous in judgment. ⁶ A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. ⁷ A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are the snare of his soul. ⁸ The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. ⁹ Even one that is slack in his work is brother to him that is a destroyer. ¹⁰ The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is set up on high. ¹¹ The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his own conceit. ¹² Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honour goeth humility. ¹³ He that giveth answer before he heareth, it is folly and confusion unto him. ¹⁴ The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a broken spirit who can bear? ¹⁵ The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge. ¹⁶ A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. ¹⁷ He that pleadeth his cause first seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him out. ¹⁸ The lot causeth strife to cease, and parteth asunder the contentious. ¹⁹ A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city; and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. ²⁰ A man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; with the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied. ²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that indulge it shall eat the fruit thereof. ²² Whoso findeth a wife findeth a great good, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. ²³ The poor useth entreaties; but the rich answereth impudently. ²⁴ There are friends that one hath to his own hurt; but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. ¹⁹ ¹ Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity than he that is perverse in his lips and a fool at the same time. ² Also, that the soul be without knowledge is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth. ³ The foolishness of man perverteth his way; and his heart fretteth against the LORD. ⁴ Wealth addeth many friends; but as for the poor, his friend separateth himself from him. ⁵ A false witness shall not be unpunished; and he that breatheth forth lies shall not escape. ⁶ Many will entreat the favour of the liberal man; and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts. ⁷ All the brethren of the poor do hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He that pursueth words, they turn against him. ⁸ He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul; he that keepeth understanding shall find good. ⁹ A false witness shall not be unpunished; and he that breatheth forth lies shall perish. ¹⁰ Luxury is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes. ¹¹ It is the discretion of a man to be slow to anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. ¹² The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass. ¹³ A foolish son is the calamity of his father; and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping. ¹⁴ House and riches are the inheritance of fathers; but a prudent wife is from the LORD. ¹⁵ Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and the idle soul shall suffer hunger. ¹⁶ He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his soul; but he that despiseth His ways shall die. ¹⁷ He that is gracious unto the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and his good deed will He repay unto him. ¹⁸ Chasten thy son, for there is hope; but set not thy heart on his destruction. ¹⁹ A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment; for if thou interpose, thou wilt add thereto. ²⁰ Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. ²¹ There are many devices in a man's heart; but the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. ²² The lust of a man is his shame; and a poor man is better than a liar. ²³ The fear of the LORD tendeth to life; and he that hath it shall abide satisfied, he shall not be visited with evil. ²⁴ The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, and will not so much as bring it back to his mouth. ²⁵ When thou smitest a scorner, the simple will become prudent; and when one that hath understanding is reproved, he will understand knowledge. ²⁶ A son that dealeth shamefully and reproachfully will despoil his father, and chase away his mother. ²⁷ Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge. ²⁸ An ungodly witness mocketh at right; and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity. ²⁹ Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools. ²⁰ ¹ Wine is a mocker, strong drink is riotous; and whosoever reeleth thereby is not wise. ² The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: he that provoketh him to anger forfeiteth his life. ³ It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be snarling. ⁴ The sluggard will not plow when winter setteth in; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing. ⁵ Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. ⁶ Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness; but a faithful man who can find? ⁷ He that walketh in his integrity as a just man, happy are his children after him. ⁸ A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes. ⁹ Who can say: 'I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin'? ¹⁰ Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. ¹¹ Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. ¹² The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them. ¹³ Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt have bread in plenty. ¹⁴ 'It is bad, it is bad', saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth. ¹⁵ There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. ¹⁶ Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge that is surety for an alien woman. ¹⁷ Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. ¹⁸ Every purpose is established by counsel; and with good advice carry on war. ¹⁹ He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth wide his lips. ²⁰ Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness. ²¹ An estate may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed. ²² Say not thou: 'I will requite evil'; wait for the LORD, and He will save thee. ²³ Divers weights are an abomination to the LORD; and a false balance is not good. ²⁴ A man's goings are of the LORD; how then can man look to his way? ²⁵ It is a snare to a man rashly to say: 'Holy', and after vows to make inquiry. ²⁶ A wise king sifteth the wicked, and turneth the wheel over them. ²⁷ The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inward parts. ²⁸ Mercy and truth preserve the king; and his throne is upheld by mercy. ²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the hoary head. ³⁰ Sharp wounds cleanse away evil; so do stripes that reach the inward parts.