Proverbs 17:1-28 The Lord God Tests the Hearts of Mankind

The Lord God Tests the Hearts of Mankind

Proverbs 17:1-28                                   Proverbs [in Smaller Chunks]

A dry morsel [of food] & quietness, [a.k.a.  peace,] is better than [a] house full of [sacrificial] [meals] with [arguments.] [1 Corinthians 10:27-31 If any of [those who] [are] [unbelievers invited] you to a feast, & you [are] disposed, [a.k.a. Inclined,] to go, eat [whatever] is set [in front of] you, asking no [questions] for [your] [conscience's] sake. But if any man [says] to you, This is offered in sacrifice to idols, [don't] eat [it,] for his sake, [who declared] it. For the earth is the Lord's, & the fullness [of it.] [When] I say conscience, I [don't] [mean] your own [conscience,] but [for] the other [person's.] Why is my liberty, [a.k.a. freedom,] judged by another man's conscience? For: if by grace [I am] a partaker, why am I spoken of [evilly,] for what I give thanks? Therefore, whether you eat, or drink, or [whatever] you do, do all to the glory of God.

A wise servant shall have [control] over a son, [who causes] shame, & shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. [Galatians 4:3-7 Even so, we, when we were children, were [in] bondage, [a.k.a. slaves, to] [sinful] elements of the world. But when [His] [full] time [had] come, God sent forth His Son, [born from] a woman, [who was born] under the Law [of Moses,] to Redeem [those who] were under the Law, [so] that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth into your hearts, the [Holy] Spirit of His Son, crying [out,] Abba, Father. [For this reason, you [are] no [longer] a servant, but a son, & if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.]

The [refining] pot is for silver, & the furnace for gold: but the Lord [tests] the hearts. [Jeremiah 17:9-10 Above all things, who can know: the deceitful heart, & the [intensely] wicked? I, the Lord, search the heart, & I try, [a.k.a. test,] the [heart strings,] & even to give every man according to his ways, & according to the fruit [produced] [from] his [actions.]

A [person who] [does wickedly, pays attention] to false lips, & a liar [listens] to a [destructive] tongue, [a.k.a. mouth.] [James 3:8-9 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. [With this,] we bless, even God the Father, & [with this,] we also curse men, [who] are made in the [image] of God.]

[Whoever mocks] the poor [disgraces] his Maker, & he [who] is glad [about] calamities, shall not [go] unpunished. [Galatians 6:7-8 [Don't] be deceived. God is not mocked. For [whatever,] a man [sows, a.k.a. plants,] he shall also reap, [a.k.a. harvest,] that. For he [who sows] to his [sinful] flesh, shall [harvest] corruption [from] the flesh; but he, [who plants] to the [Holy] Spirit, shall reap Everlasting Life [from] the [Holy] Spirit.]

[Grandchildren] are the crown of old men & are the children of their [father’s] glory. [Psalm 128:3-6 Your wife shall be [like] a fruitful, [a.k.a. productive,] vine by the sides of your house, & your children [shall be] [like] olive plants, [all around] your table. [See,] the man shall be blessed [like this, who fears, a.k.a. respects,] the Lord. The Lord shall bless you out of Zion, & you [shall] see the good of Jerusalem, all the days of your life. [Yes,] you [shall] see: your children's children, & [shall see] peace upon Israel.]

Excellent speech [isn’t becoming for] a fool; & lying lips [are even less becoming for] a prince. A gift is [like] a precious stone, [a.k.a. jewel,] [that sparkles] in the eyes of him [who has] it: [wherever] [he] [turns] it, [it's beneficial.]

He, [who covers, a.k.a. hides,] a [sin seeks] love: but he, [who repeats] a matter [separates] [the] very [best of] friends. [Proverbs 16:28 A [deceitful] man [sows, a.k.a. plants, discord;] & a [gossip separates best] friends.]

[Correction benefits] a wise man more than 100 stripes, [a.k.a. lashes of the whip,] to a fool. [Micah 7:9 I will bear, [a.k.a. endure,] the [Lord's] indignation, [a.k.a. anger aroused by injustice,] because I have sinned against Him, until He [pleads] my [case,] & [carries out:] judgment, [a.k.a. justice,] for me. He will bring me [out] to the Light, & I shall [see] His righteousness.]

An evil man only [seeks] rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. [Isaiah 1:23-24 Your princes are rebellious, & companions of thieves. Everyone [loves] gifts, & [follows] after rewards, [a.k.a. bribes.] They [don't] judge the fatherless, & neither [does] the [case] of the widow come to them. Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, [says,] Ah, I will ease [Myself] of [My] adversaries, & avenge [Myself] of [My] enemies.]

[It is better that] a man [meets] a bear robbed of her [cubs,] rather than [meet] a fool in his [foolishness.] [Whoever rewards] evil for good [done to him,] evil shall not depart from his house. [Romans 12:7 Provide honest things in the sight of all men, & [don't] [repay] evil to [any] man, for evil [done.]

The beginning of [quarrels] is [like] when [someone lets] [a flood of] water out: therefore [stop arguments,] before [others] meddle, [a.k.a  interfere,] with it.     [1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 And that you study, [a.k.a. learn,] to be quiet, & [mind] your own business, & work with your own hands, [like] we [have] [instructed] you, [so] that you may walk honestly toward [those who] are without [faith in Jesus Christ,] [so] that you may [not] lack [anything.]

He, [who justifies] the wicked, & he, [who condemns] the just, [a.k.a. honest,] are both [abominations] to the Lord. [Isaiah 5:22-23 Woe to [those who] are mighty to drink wine, & [strong] men, to [mix] strong [drinks,] who justify the wicked for reward, [a.k.a. bribes,] & take away the righteousness from the righteous!]

[Why] is there [money] in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing [his] heart [isn’t open] to it? A friend [loves] at all times, & a brother is born for [times of] adversity.

A man void, [a.k.a. without,] understanding [shakes] hands, in [front] of his friend, & becomes surety, [a.k.a. the guarantor,] [for his friend’s loan.] [Proverbs 22:26-27 [Don't] you be one of [those who shake] hands, or [those who] are [guarantors] for debts. If you [have] nothing to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?]

He [who] [loves discord, loves sin,] & he, [who is prideful, & makes] his gate [elevated seeks] destruction. [Proverb 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, & an [arrogant] spirit before a fall.]

He, [who has] a [deceitful] heart [doesn’t] [find any] good, & he, [who has] a [wicked] tongue [falls] into [evil.]  [Matthew 12:34-37 O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For the mouth [speaks] out of the abundance of the heart. A good man [brings] forth good things out of the good [treasures,] of the heart. And an evil man, [brings] forth evil things, out of the evil [treasures] [of the heart.] But I say to you, That [on] the Judgment Day, they shall give account [of] every idle word that men shall [say.] For you [shall] be justified by your words, & you [shall] be condemned by your words.]

It [is the] sorrow of [him who fathers] a fool. And the father of a fool [has] no joy. [Proverbs 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son [makes] a glad father; but a foolish son is the [grief] of his mother.]

A [happy] heart [does] [it] good like medicine: but a broken spirit [dries] [out] the bones. [Proverbs 15:13 A merry, [a.k.a. happy,] heart [makes] a cheerful [face,] but the spirit of the heart is broken by sorrow.]

A wicked man [takes] a gift, [a.k.a. Bribe,] out [from] the [chest] [pocket] to [distort] the ways of judgment, [a.k.a. justice.] [Micah 3:10-11 They build up: Zion with [bloodshed,] & Jerusalem with [sinfulness.] The [leaders of it] judge for reward, [a.k.a. bribes,] & [its] priests teach for [pay,] & [its] prophets divine for money, & will they [still] lean upon the Lord, & say, Isn't the Lord among us? [No] evil can come upon us.]

Wisdom is before him [who has] understanding: but a [fool’s] eyes [wander to] the ends of the earth. A foolish son is grief to his father, & bitterness to her, [who gave birth to] him. [Proverbs 1:7 The fear, [a.k.a. respect,] of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom, & instruction.]

[It’s] also not good to punish the just, [a.k.a. righteous,] nor to [hit] the princes for equity. [1 Peter 2:20-23 For what glory is it, if, when you [are hit] for your faults, & you take it patiently? But if, when you do well, [a.k.a. good,] & suffer for it, & you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For you were even called [to do this,] because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow [in] His steps, Who [didn't] sin, & neither was [deceit] found in His mouth. Who, when He was [insulted, didn't insult, back.] When [Christ] suffered, He [didn't threaten;] but committed Himself to [God, Who judges] righteously. ]

He, [who has] knowledge, [uses] his words [sparingly,] & a man of understanding [has a calm] spirit. Even when a fool [holds] his peace, he is [considered] wise; & he [who shuts] his lips, [a.k.a. mouth,] is [respected] [like] a man of understanding. [Proverbs 10:19 There is [no lack] of sin, in the multitude of words; but he [who holds back] his lips is wise.]