Глава 17

1–19. An exhortation to moderation in enjoying the blessings of life and to the prudent use of the gift of speech. 10–20. An exhortation to peacefulness is a warning against arrogance and a tendency to argue. 21–28. Parables of different contents, a warning against talkativeness. Proverbs 17:1. Better is a piece of dry bread, and with it peace, than a house full of slaughtered cattle, with discord. Proverbs 17:2. A wise slave rules over a dissolute son and divides the inheritance between his brothers. Proverbs 17:3. The smelter is for silver, and the crucible is for gold, but the Lord tests the hearts. Proverbs 17:4. An evildoer listens to wicked lips, a liar listens to a destructive tongue. Proverbs 17:5. He who swears at a beggar blasphemes his Creator; whoever rejoices in misfortune will not go unpunished [and the merciful will have mercy]. Proverbs 17:6. The crown of old men is the sons of sons, and the glory of children is their parents.– Proverbs 17:6a. –[The faithful have a whole world of wealth, the infidel has not an obol.] Proverbs 17:7. It is indecent for a fool to speak important speech, much less for a noble person to have lying lips. Proverbs 17:8. A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of the one who owns it: wherever he turns, he will succeed. Proverbs 17:9. The one who covers up the offense seeks love; and whoever reminds him again removes his friend. The good of the world is incomparable with any material blessings: with peace in the house, a piece of dry bread without wine or meat, even without vinegar (Ruth 2.14) and water (1 Samuel 25.11) is more pleasant than abundant luxurious dishes in houses full of disagreement and discord (v. 1). And the benefit of wisdom, theoretical and practical, is not tied to the external position of a person; even a slave - with all his humble position in the Hebrew family - with his prudence could achieve an exceptionally high position - even dominance, with the knowledge of the father of the family, over his own children (v. 2). Just as the dignity of precious metals is revealed in fire, so the chosen souls are cast by the Lord into the fire of trials, giving them the opportunity to be cleansed of sins and to demonstrate their unselfishness and love for God (v. 3). On the contrary, a person with a morally corrupt heart tends only to listen to all slander and lies that are harmful to his neighbor, while a morally blameless person turns away from all such things (v. 4). In the first half of Art. 5 repeats the thought of Proverbs 14.31, in the second - the thought of Proverbs 11.21 and Proverbs 16.5. In Art. 6 expresses the high appreciation inherent in the Old Testament biblical Jews of the importance of the family, the offspring of a branchy genealogical tree (cf. Ps 127.1). In Art. 7–8 the contrast between the insignificance of stupidity - wickedness and the high value of wisdom - piety: the latter is here presented in the form of a high reward or priceless gift given to a person. According to Art. 9, a sign of true wisdom and love is the desire to hide the recognized sin of a neighbor (fn. Proverbs 10.12), while the opposite course of action further upsets the mutual relationships of people (fn. Proverbs 16.28–29). Proverbs 17:10. A reprimand has a stronger effect on a wise man than a hundred blows on a stupid man. Proverbs 17:11. The troublemaker seeks only evil; therefore a cruel angel will be sent against him. Proverbs 17:12. It is better for a man to meet a bear deprived of children than a fool with his stupidity. Proverbs 17:13. Whoever repays good with evil, evil will not leave his house. Proverbs 17:14. The beginning of a quarrel is like a burst of water; leave the quarrel before it flares up. Proverbs 17:15. He who justifies the wicked and accuses the righteous are both an abomination to the Lord. Proverbs 17:16. Why is treasure in the hands of a fool? He has no reason to acquire wisdom.– Proverbs 17:16a. –[He who makes his house high seeks to be broken; and he who deviates from the teaching will fall into trouble.] Proverbs 17:17. A friend loves at all times and, like a brother, will appear in times of misfortune. Proverbs 17:18. A weak-minded man gives his hand and vouches for his neighbor. Proverbs 17:19. He who loves quarrels loves sin, and he who lifts his gates high seeks to fall. Proverbs 17:20. A deceitful heart will find no good, and a wicked tongue will fall into trouble. The presence of a high sense of self-esteem in the rational is noted, and the absence of this feeling in the stupid, his sensitivity only to physical influence (v. 10). It is indicated that any indignation against a lawfully acting force causes God’s retribution to the outrager, for example, in the form of an embassy of punishing wicked angels (v. 11, sn. Ps 34.5–6, 77.49). Image of Art. 12 for a stupid, wicked and evil person - a bear who has lost her children, next, desperately enraged, resembles the reverse image of the evil wife in the book of Sirach (Sir 25.16–22). In Art. 13 it is forbidden to repay evil for good under the threat of a curse on the house of the guilty one (cf. Proverbs 3.33). Art. 14 represents the development of the quarrel as similar to the breaking of a dam by water. In Art. 15 – regarding the always possible abuses in court, a categorical condemnation is expressed for the acquittal of the guilty and the condemnation of the right (cf. Proverbs 24.24; Isaiah 5.23). Art. 16 states the uselessness of wealth in the hands of a person devoid of reason. In Art. 17, the truth obtained by the experience of the life of all mankind is expressed, expressed in the classics in the saying: amicus certus in re incerta cernitor; the corresponding Arabic proverb says the same. Art. 18 repeats the negative judgment of the Wise One about surety, cf. Proverbs 6.1–5, 11.15. In Art. 19 quarrelsomeness and arrogance are presented as a source of sin and condemnation (cf. Sir 28.9). For Art. 20 Wed Proverbs 6.14. Proverbs 17:21. If anyone gives birth to a fool, it will be a disaster for him, and the father of the fool will not be happy. Proverbs 17:22. A cheerful heart is beneficial, like medicine, but a sad spirit dries out the bones. Proverbs 17:23. The wicked takes the gift from his bosom to pervert the ways of justice. Proverbs 17:24. Wisdom is in the face of the wise, but the eyes of the fool are at the ends of the earth. Proverbs 17:25. A stupid son is an annoyance to his father and a grief to his mother. Proverbs 17:26. It is not good to blame the right, and to beat nobles for the truth. A group of parables of varied content begins with the often repeated thought of the Wise One that children are either a source of joy or a cause of great sorrow for parents (v. 21, cf. Proverbs 10.1, 15.26, 23.24). Art. 22 speaks of the undoubted influence of a person’s cheerful or depressed mood on his body (cf. Proverbs 15.13). Art. 23 – about bribery in court (cf. Proverbs 21.14). In Art. 24 contrasts with each other the concentrated study of a subject by the wise (cf. Proverbs 4.25) and the distracted wandering of a fool over a variety of distant objects. Art. 25 dn. Art. 21 and Proverbs 10.1. Art. 26 condemns the opposition of evil people to the righteous and to nobles or authorities as representatives of the rule of law. Proverbs 17:27. A wise man is temperate in his words, and a prudent man is cold-blooded. Proverbs 17:28. And a fool, when he is silent, may seem wise, and he who shuts his mouth may seem prudent. Praise for the moderate use of the gift of speech. Art. 27 is reminiscent of Proverbs 10.19 (fn. James 1.19). Thought Art. 28 that silence is a sure way to be considered wise, even for a fool, is found, for example, in Job 13.5. You might be interested in: