Passage

Proverbs 17.3

Book: Proverbs · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of feasting with strife. 2. A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, And shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren."

"3. The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts."

"4. An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; And a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue. 5. Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; And he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished." (Proverbs 17:1-5, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife. 2. A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers."

"3. The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but Yahweh tests the hearts."

"4. An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue. 5. Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished." (Proverbs 17:1-5, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. ^{sacrifices: or, good cheer} 2. A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren."

"3. The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts."

"4. A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue. 5. Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. ^{unpunished: Heb. held innocent}" (Proverbs 17:1-5, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife. 2. A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance."

"3. A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] Jehovah."

"4. An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue. 5. Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted." (Proverbs 17:1-5, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: Solomon (principal); Agur; Lemuel; wise men
Audience: young Israelite men in the wisdom tradition
Location: Israel, Solomonic court
Time period: principal composition c. 970-930 BC (Solomon); compilation c. 700 BC (Hezekiah)

Theological reading

Key words

H3068 - YHWH, YHWH (Strong's H3068). Also appears in: Genesis 2.4, Genesis 2.7, Genesis 2.16-17.

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.