aBetter is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over aa son who acts shamefully
and bwill share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 aThe crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
band the Lord tests hearts.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor ainsults his Maker;
he who is bglad at calamity will not go cunpunished.
6 aGrandchildren are bthe crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not abecoming to a fool;
still less is bfalse speech to a prince.
8 aA bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever acovers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter bseparates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and aa cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet aa she‑bear robbed of her cubs
brather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone areturns evil for good,
bevil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so aquit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He who ajustifies the wicked and he who bcondemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand ato buy wisdom
when he has no sense?
17 aA friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge
and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
he who amakes his door high seeks destruction.
20 aA man of crooked heart does not discover good,
and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21 He who asires a fool gets himself sorrow,
and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 aA joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit bdries up the bones.
23 The wicked accepts aa bribe in secret
to bpervert the ways of justice.
24 aThe discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 aA foolish son is a grief to his father
band bitterness to cher who bore him.
26 aTo impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 Whoever arestrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool awho keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.