The Lord God Tests the Hearts of Mankind |
Proverbs 17:1-28 Proverbs [in Smaller Chunks] |
A dry morsel [of food] [with peace] is better than a house full of [sacrificial meals] with [arguments.] A wise servant shall have [control] over a son, [who causes] shame & shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. |
The [refining] pot is for silver & the furnace for gold: but the Lord [tests] the hearts. A [person who does wickedly pays attention] to false lips & a liar [listens] to a [destructive mouth.] |
[Whoever] mocks the poor [disgraces] his Maker & he [who] is glad [about] calamities shall not [go] unpunished. [Grandchildren] are the crown of old men & are the children of their [father’s] glory. |
Excellent speech [isn’t becoming for] a fool & lying lips [are even less becoming for] a prince. A gift is [like] a precious [jewel sparkles] in the eyes of [the person who has] it: wherever [he] turns it, [he] prospers. |
He, [who hides his sin] seeks love: but he, [who repeats that] matter [separates the best of] friends. [Correction benefits] a wise man [more] than 100 [lashes of the whip] to a fool. |
An evil man only seeks rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. [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. The beginning of [a quarrel is like] when [someone] lets [a flood of] water out: therefore [stop arguments] before [others get involved] with it. |
He, [who justifies] the wicked & he, [who condemns] the [honest,] are both [abominations] to the Lord. [Why] is there [money] in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, [when his] heart [isn’t open] to it? |
A friend loves at all times & a brother is born for [times of] adversity. A man [without] understanding [shakes] hands, in [front] of his friend & becomes [the guarantor for his friend’s loan.] |
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 [does’t find any] good & he, [who] has [a wicked] tongue falls into [evil.] It [is the] sorrow of [him who fathers] a fool. And the father of a fool has no joy. |
A [happy] heart does [it] good like medicine: but a broken spirit dries [out] the bones. A wicked man [takes a bribe from a chest pocket] to [distort] the [path] of [justice.] |
Wisdom is before [those with] understanding: but a [fool’s] eyes [wander to] the ends of the earth. A foolish son is grief to his father & bitterness to [his mother, who gave birth to] him. |
[It’s] not good to punish the [righteous,] nor to [hit] the princes for equity. 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 as] wise & he [who shuts] his [mouth] is [respected like] a man of understanding. |