1 Betterisa dry morsel with quietness,
Than a house full of feastingwithstrife.
2 A wise servant will rule overa son who causes shame,
And will share an inheritance among the brothers.
3 The refining potisfor silver and the furnace for gold,
# But theLordtests the hearts.
4 An evildoer gives heed to false lips;
A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue.
5 He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;
# He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Children’s childrenarethe crown of old men,
And the glory of childrenistheir father.
7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.
8 A presentisa precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9 He who covers a transgression seeks love,
# Buthe who repeats a matter separates friends.
10 Rebuke is more effective for a wiseman
Than a hundred blows on a fool.
11 An evilmanseeks only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meeta bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Whoeverrewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strifeislikereleasing water;
# Thereforestop contention before a quarrel starts.
15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alikearean abomination to theLord.
16 Whyistherein the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Sincehehasno heartforit?
17 A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
18 A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge,
Andbecomes surety for his friend.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife,
# Andhe who exalts his gate seeks destruction.
20 He who has a deceitful heart finds no good,
# And he who hasa perverse tongue falls into evil.
21 He who begets a scofferdoessoto his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
22 Amerry heart does good,likemedicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.
23 A wickedmanaccepts a bribe behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.
24 Wisdomisin the sight of him who has understanding,
But the eyes of a foolareon the ends of the earth.
25 Afoolish sonisa grief to his father,
And bitterness to her who bore him.
26 Also, to punish the righteousisnot good,
Norto strike princes fortheiruprightness.
27 He who has knowledge spares his words,
Anda man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
28 Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
Whenhe shuts his lips,heisconsideredperceptive.