Proverbs 16:31-17:17

English Standard Version

^31 (A)Gray hair is ^(B)a crown of glory;
    it ^(C)is gained in a righteous life.
^32 (D)Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
^33 (E)The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is ^(F)from the Lord.
17 ^(G)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting^[a] with strife.
² A servant who deals wisely will rule over ^(H)a son who acts shamefully
    and ^(I)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
^3 (J)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    ^(K)and the Lord tests hearts.
⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
⁵ Whoever mocks the poor ^(L)insults his Maker;
    he who is ^(M)glad at calamity will not go ^(N)unpunished.
^6 (O)Grandchildren are ^(P)the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
⁷ Fine speech is not ^(Q)becoming to a fool;
    still less is ^(R)false speech to a prince.
^8 (S)A bribe is like a magic^[b] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
⁹ Whoever ^(T)covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter ^(U)separates close friends.
¹⁰ A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and ^(V)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹² Let a man meet ^(W)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    ^(X)rather than a fool in his folly.
¹³ If anyone ^(Y)returns evil for good,
    ^(Z)evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so ^(AA)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
¹⁵ He who ^(AB)justifies the wicked and he who ^(AC)condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why should a fool have money in his hand ^(AD)to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
^17 (AE)A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.