17 Better a dry crust with peace

than a house full of feasting with strife. q

2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son

and share an inheritance among brothers.

3 A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold, r

and the Lord is the tester of hearts. s

4 A wicked person listens to malicious talk; t

a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker, u

and one who rejoices over calamity

will not go unpunished. v

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,

and the pride of sons is their fathers.

7 Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;

how much worse are lies for a ruler.

8 A bribe w seems like a magic stone to its owner;

wherever he turns, he succeeds. x

9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, y

but whoever gossips about it separates friends. z

10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person

more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;

a cruel messenger a b will be sent against him.

12 Better for a man to meet a bear robbed of her cubs c

than a fool in his foolishness.

13 If anyone returns evil for good, d

evil will never depart from his house. e

14 To start a conflict is to release a flood;

stop the dispute before it breaks out. f

15 Acquitting the * guilty and condemning the just g—

both are detestable to the Lord.

16 Why does a fool have money in his hand

with no intention of buying wisdom? h

17 A friend loves at all times, i

and a brother is born for a difficult time.

18 One without sense enters an agreement j

and puts up security for his friend. k

19 One who loves to offend loves strife; l

one who builds a high threshold invites injury.

20 One with a twisted mind will not succeed,

and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin. m

21 A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow;

the father of a fool has no joy. n

22 A joyful heart is good medicine,

but a broken spirit dries up the bones. o

23 A wicked man secretly takes a bribe p

to subvert the course of justice. q

24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,

but a fool’s eyes r roam to the ends of the earth.

25 A foolish son is grief to his father

and bitterness to the one who bore him. s

26 It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person

or to beat a noble for his honesty. t u

27 The intelligent person restrains his words, v

and one who keeps a cool head w

is a man of understanding.

28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent,

discerning when he seals his lips. x