Proverbs 17:5-18:24

English Standard Version

⁵Whoever mocks the poor ^(A)insults his Maker;
    he who is ^(B)glad at calamity will not go ^(C)unpunished.
⁶^(D)Grandchildren are ^(E)the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
⁷Fine speech is not ^(F)becoming to a fool;
    still less is ^(G)false speech to a prince.
⁸^(H)A bribe is like a magic^[a] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
⁹Whoever ^(I)covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter ^(J)separates close friends.
¹⁰A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and ^(K)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹²Let a man meet ^(L)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    ^(M)rather than a fool in his folly.
¹³If anyone ^(N)returns evil for good,
    ^(O)evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so ^(P)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
¹⁵He who ^(Q)justifies the wicked and he who ^(R)condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶Why should a fool have money in his hand ^(S)to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
¹⁷^(T)A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.
¹⁸One who lacks sense gives a pledge
    and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
¹⁹Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who ^(U)makes his door high seeks destruction.
²⁰^(V)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
²¹He who ^(W)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.
²²^(X)A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit ^(Y)dries up the bones.
²³The wicked accepts ^(Z)a bribe in secret^[b]
    to ^(AA)pervert the ways of justice.
²⁴^(AB)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
²⁵^(AC)A foolish son is a grief to his father
    ^(AD)and bitterness to ^(AE)her who bore him.
²⁶^(AF)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷Whoever ^(AG)restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
²⁸Even a fool ^(AH)who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
18 Whoever ^(AI)isolates himself seeks his own desire;
    he breaks out against all sound judgment.
²A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only ^(AJ)in expressing his opinion.
³When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
    and with dishonor comes disgrace.
⁴The words of a man's mouth are ^(AK)deep waters;
    the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
⁵It is not good to ^(AL)be partial to^[c] the wicked
    or to ^(AM)deprive the righteous of justice.
⁶A fool's lips walk into a fight,
    and his mouth invites ^(AN)a beating.
⁷^(AO)A fool's mouth is his ruin,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.
⁸^(AP)The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into ^(AQ)the inner parts of the body.
⁹Whoever is slack in his work
    is a ^(AR)brother to him who destroys.
¹⁰^(AS)The name of the Lord is ^(AT)a strong tower;
    the righteous man runs into it and ^(AU)is safe.
¹¹^(AV)A rich man's wealth is his strong city,
    and like a high wall in his imagination.
¹²^(AW)Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
    but ^(AX)humility comes before honor.
¹³If one gives an answer ^(AY)before he hears,
    it is his folly and shame.
¹⁴A man's spirit will endure sickness,
    but ^(AZ)a crushed spirit who can bear?
¹⁵An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
    and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶A man's ^(BA)gift makes room for him
    and brings him before the great.
¹⁷The one who states his case first seems right,
    until the other comes and examines him.
¹⁸^(BB)The lot puts an end to quarrels
    and decides between powerful contenders.
¹⁹A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
    and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
²⁰^(BC)From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
    he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
²¹^(BD)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
    and those who love it will eat its fruits.
²²He who finds ^(BE)a wife finds ^(BF)a good thing
    and ^(BG)obtains favor ^(BH)from the Lord.
²³The poor use entreaties,
    but ^(BI)the rich answer roughly.
²⁴A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but ^(BJ)there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.