The Book of Proverbs — Liber Proverbiorum
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Chapter 17
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Douay-Rheims><Vulgate><Knox Bible
1
Better is a dry morsel with joy, than a house full of victims with strife.
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Melior est buccella sicca cum gaudio quam domus plena victimis cum jurgio.
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Better dry crust and gay heart, than a house where all is feasting and all is quarrelling.
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A wise servant shall rule over foolish sons, and shall divide the inheritance among the brethren.
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Servus sapiens dominabitur filiis stultis, et inter fratres hæreditatem dividet.
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Where sons are fools, slaves will be masters, and share the inheritance like heirs born.
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As silver is tried by fire, and gold in the furnace: so the Lord trieth the hearts.
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Sicut igne probatur argentum et aurum camino, ita corda probat Dominus.
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For silver and gold, furnace and crucible; men’s hearts are for the Lord’s assaying.
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The evil man obeyeth an unjust tongue: and the deceitful hearkeneth to lying lips.
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Malus obedit linguæ iniquæ, et fallax obtemperat labiis mendacibus.
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Ever ill-will gives heed to injurious talk, false faith listens to the slander.
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He that despiseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker; and he that rejoiceth at another man’s ruin, shall not be unpunished.
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Qui despicit pauperem exprobrat factori ejus, et qui ruina lætatur alterius non erit impunitus.
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He who shews contempt to the poor, insults man’s Maker; at thy own peril thou wilt take delight in another’s ruin.
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Children’s children are the crown of old men: and the glory of children are their fathers.
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Corona senum filii filiorum, et gloria filiorum patres eorum.
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Crown of old age, when a man sees his children’s children; pride of youth, when a man can boast of the fathers that begot him.
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Eloquent words do not become a fool, nor lying lips a prince.
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Non decent stultum verba composita, nec principem labium mentiens.
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Solemn talk matches ill with folly, lying speech with royalty.
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The expectation of him that expecteth, is a most acceptable jewel: whithersoever he turneth himself, he understandeth wisely.
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Gemma gratissima exspectatio præstolantis; quocumque se vertit, prudenter intelligit.
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When a man has hope in view, like a jewel it shines before him; look where he will, his way lies clear.
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He that concealeth a transgression, seeketh friendships: he that repeateth it again, separateth friends.
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Qui celat delictum quærit amicitias; qui altero sermone repetit, separat fœderatos.
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If good will be thy quest, hide the wrong done; gossip unknits the bond of friendship.
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A reproof availeth more with a wise man, than a hundred stripes with a fool.
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Plus proficit correptio apud prudentem, quam centum plagæ apud stultum.
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One word of warning in a prudent man’s ear does more than a hundred lashes given to a fool.
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An evil man always seeketh quarrels: but a cruel angel shall be sent against him.
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Semper jurgia quærit malus: angelus autem crudelis mittetur contra eum.
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Still the godless man will be for stirring up strife, till at last an angel visits him with no kindly message.
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It is better to meet a bear robbed of her whelps, than a fool trusting in his own folly.
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Expedit magis ursæ occurrere raptis fœtibus, quam fatuo confidenti in stultitia sua.
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Better meet the she-bear reft of her cubs, than a fool in his blind confidence.
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He that rendereth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
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Qui reddit mala pro bonis, non recedet malum de domo ejus.
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Evil shall still haunt his dwelling, that repays kindness with injury.
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The beginning of quarrels is as when one letteth out water: before he suffereth reproach he forsaketh judgment.
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Qui dimittit aquam caput est jurgiorum, et antequam patiatur contumeliam judicium deserit.
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Who began the quarrel? He who let loose the flood-gates of it; and before he can suffer injury, he stands aside from the debate.
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He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, both are abominable before God.
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Qui justificat impium, et qui condemnat justum, abominabilis est uterque apud Deum.
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Misjudgement the Lord will never abide, whether the guilty go free, or the innocent are condemned.
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What doth it avail a fool to have riches, seeing he cannot buy wisdom? He that maketh his house high, seeketh a downfall: and he that refuseth to learn, shall fall into evils.
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Quid prodest stulto habere divitias, cum sapientiam emere non possit? Qui altum facit domum suam quærit ruinam, et qui evitat discere incidet in mala.
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Little the fool’s wealth avails; he may not buy wisdom if he would. (Build high, and court thy ruin; despise learning, and thou shalt come to mischief. )
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He that is a friend loveth at all times: and a brother is proved in distress.
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Omni tempore diligit qui amicus est, et frater in angustiis comprobatur.
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He is thy friend, who is thy friend at all times; of a brother’s love there is no test like adversity.
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A foolish man will clap hands, when he is surety for his friend.
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Stultus homo plaudet manibus, cum spoponderit pro amico suo.
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He is a fool, that lightly goes bail for his friend.
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He that studieth discords, loveth quarrels: and he that exalteth his door, seeketh ruin.
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Qui meditatur discordias diligit rixas, et qui exaltat ostium quærit ruinam.
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He loves a feud, that loves contention; build high, and court thy ruin.
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He that is of a perverse heart, shall not find good: and he that perverteth his tongue, shall fall into evil.
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Qui perversi cordis est non inveniet bonum, et qui vertit linguam incidet in malum.
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False heart never found happiness, nor lying tongue escaped mischief.
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A fool is born to his own disgrace: and even his father shall not rejoice in a fool.
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Natus est stultus in ignominiam suam; sed nec pater in fatuo lætabitur.
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A fool’s birthday is a day of shame; never father had joy of a reckless son.
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A joyful mind maketh age flourishing: a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones.
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Animus gaudens ætatem floridam facit; spiritus tristis exsiccat ossa.
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A cheerful heart makes a quick recovery, it is crushed spirits that waste a man’s frame.
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The wicked man taketh gifts out of the bosom, that he may pervert the paths of judgment.
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Munera de sinu impius accipit, ut pervertat semitas judicii.
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Out comes bribe from bosom, and the godless man turns justice aside from its course.
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Wisdom shineth in the face of the wise: the eyes of fools are in the ends of the earth.
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In facie prudentis lucet sapientia; oculi stultorum in finibus terræ.
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Wisdom is a beacon-light to the discerning; the fool’s eyes roam this way and that, as wide as earth.
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A foolish son is the anger of the father: and the sorrow of the mother that bore him.
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Ira patris filius stultus, et dolor matris quæ genuit eum.
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Poor fool, his father’s bane, sorrow of the mother that bore him!
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It is no good thing to do hurt to the just: nor to strike the prince, who judgeth right.
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Non est bonum damnum inferre justo, nec percutere principem qui recta judicat.
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Foul shame it is to make the innocent suffer, to strike a blow against the chieftain that gives redress.
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He that setteth bounds to his words, is knowing and wise: and the man of understanding is of a precious spirit.
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Qui moderatur sermones suos doctus et prudens est, et pretiosi spiritus vir eruditus.
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Skilful is he who has skill to check his tongue, learned he is that knows how to spare his breath.
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Even a fool, if he will hold his peace shall be counted wise: and if he close his lips, a man of understanding.
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Stultus quoque, si tacuerit, sapiens reputabitur, et si compresserit labia sua, intelligens.
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Let him keep his own counsel, a fool may pass for a wise man; shut lips can claim discernment.