## Mivchar HaPeninim Chapter 17

###### Mivchar HaPeninim 17:1
[Mivchar HaPeninim 17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mivchar%20HaPeninim/r/17:1)

אמרו אינו דעתן מי שמתחכם לדבר. אחר שנכשל בו. אך מי שיכירהו. ומתחכם שלא יכשל [בו]:

**A Choice of Pearls, English translation by B.H. Ascher, London 1859:**
208. THE sage observes, He cannot be termed wise who reflects after his error, but he deserves that dignity who by circumspection endeavours to avoid it.


###### Mivchar HaPeninim 17:2
[Mivchar HaPeninim 17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mivchar%20HaPeninim/r/17:2)

ואמר ראש השכל ההכרה בין ההוה והנמנע. והנחמה במה שאין היכולת:

**A Choice of Pearls, English translation by B.H. Ascher, London 1859:**
209. Intellectual pre-eminence consists in discriminating between the probable and improbable, and being reconciled to the uncontrollable.


###### Mivchar HaPeninim 17:3
[Mivchar HaPeninim 17:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mivchar%20HaPeninim/r/17:3)

ואמר הדעתן מדבר הדברים ומגיע אל תכלית המעשה:

**A Choice of Pearls, English translation by B.H. Ascher, London 1859:**
210. The wise man disguises not his thoughts, and thus achieves his object.


###### Mivchar HaPeninim 17:4
[Mivchar HaPeninim 17:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mivchar%20HaPeninim/r/17:4)

ואמר הראיה על דעת האדם בחירתו ולא נגמרה אמונת האדם עד שנגמרה דעתו:

**A Choice of Pearls, English translation by B.H. Ascher, London 1859:**
211. A judicious choice betokens sense, and faith can be established only by reason.


###### Mivchar HaPeninim 17:5
[Mivchar HaPeninim 17:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mivchar%20HaPeninim/r/17:5)

ואמר ראוי למשכיל שיהא מכיר את זמנו. ושישמר את לשונו. ומתעסק בעניינו:

**A Choice of Pearls, English translation by B.H. Ascher, London 1859:**
212. It behooves the wise man to study the spirit of the age, to guard his tongue, and to attend to his occupation.


###### Mivchar HaPeninim 17:6
[Mivchar HaPeninim 17:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mivchar%20HaPeninim/r/17:6)

ואמר כתב האדם מורה על שכילו. ושלוחו מורה על עצתו:

**A Choice of Pearls, English translation by B.H. Ascher, London 1859:**
213. Man's writing¹ indicates his knowledge, and the choice of a delegate evinces discriminative power,

footnotes:
¹ The combination of his ideas expressed in writing, for no good can be firmly established without it.


###### Mivchar HaPeninim 17:7
[Mivchar HaPeninim 17:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mivchar%20HaPeninim/r/17:7)

ואמר כשיסופר לך על צדקת האדם. אמר האיך דעתו:

**A Choice of Pearls, English translation by B.H. Ascher, London 1859:**
214. The reputation of true piety can only be estimated by the standard of acquirements.


###### Mivchar HaPeninim 17:8
[Mivchar HaPeninim 17:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mivchar%20HaPeninim/r/17:8)

ואמר מצפון דעת האדם בתוך כתביו. וגלויה בבחינה:

**A Choice of Pearls, English translation by B.H. Ascher, London 1859:**
215. The ideas of man may be concealed in his writings, but criticism elucidates them.


###### Mivchar HaPeninim 17:9
[Mivchar HaPeninim 17:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mivchar%20HaPeninim/r/17:9)

ואמר דעת האדם נראה בעסקיו. ודע מזל האדם במנויו:

**A Choice of Pearls, English translation by B.H. Ascher, London 1859:**
216. Man's preceptive powers may be recognized by the performance of his occupation, and his disaster by his vocation.