18 Unfriendly people are selfish

and hate all good sense.

2  Fools do not want to understand anything.

They only want to tell others what they think.

3  Do something evil, and people won’t like you.

Do something shameful, and they will make fun of you.

4  Spoken words can be like deep water,

but wisdom is like a flowing stream.

5  It is not good to honor the wicked

or to be unfair to the innocent.

6  The words of fools start quarrels.

They make people want to beat them.

7  The words of fools will ruin them;

their own words will trap them.

8  The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food.

People like to gobble them up.

9  A person who doesn’t work hard

is just like someone who destroys things.

10  The Lord is like a strong tower;

those who do right can run to him for safety.

11  Rich people trust their wealth to protect them.

They think it is like the high walls of a city.

12  Proud people will be ruined,

but the humble will be honored.

13  Anyone who answers without listening

is foolish and confused.

14  The will to live can get you through sickness,

but no one can live with a broken spirit.

15  The mind of a person with understanding gets knowledge;

the wise person listens to learn more.

16  Taking gifts to important people

will help get you in to see them.

17  The person who tells one side of a story seems right,

until someone else comes and asks questions.

18  Throwing lots can settle arguments

and keep the two sides from fighting.

19  A brother who has been insulted is harder to win back than a walled city,

and arguments separate people like the barred gates of a palace.

20  People will be rewarded for what they say;

they will be rewarded by how they speak.

21  What you say can mean life or death.

Those who speak with care will be rewarded.

22  When a man finds a wife, he finds something good.

It shows that the Lord is pleased with him.

23  The poor beg for mercy,

but the rich give rude answers.

24  Some friends may ruin you,

but a real friend will be more loyal than a brother.