Proverbs 27:21-23

New International Reader's Version

²¹ Fire tests silver, and heat tests gold.
    But people are tested by the praise they receive.

²² Suppose you could grind a foolish person in a mill.
    Suppose you could grind them as you would grind grain with a tool.
    Even then you could not remove their foolishness from them.

²³ Be sure you know how your flocks are doing.
    Pay careful attention to your herds.