17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
    than a house full of feasting, with strife.^(A)

² A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
    and will share the inheritance as one of the family.

³ The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,^(B)
    but the Lord tests the heart.^(C)

⁴ A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
    a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

⁵ Whoever mocks the poor^(D) shows contempt for their Maker;^(E)
    whoever gloats over disaster^(F) will not go unpunished.^(G)

⁶ Children’s children^(H) are a crown to the aged,
    and parents are the pride of their children.

⁷ Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
    how much worse lying lips to a ruler!^(I)

⁸ A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
    they think success will come at every turn.^(J)

⁹ Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,^(K)
    but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.^(L)

¹⁰ A rebuke impresses a discerning person
    more than a hundred lashes a fool.

¹¹ Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
    the messenger of death will be sent against them.

¹² Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
    than a fool bent on folly.^(M)

¹³ Evil will never leave the house
    of one who pays back evil^(N) for good.^(O)

¹⁴ Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
    so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.^(P)

¹⁵ Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent^(Q)—
    the Lord detests them both.^(R)

¹⁶ Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
    when they are not able to understand it?^(S)

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for a time of adversity.^(T)

¹⁸ One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
    and puts up security for a neighbor.^(U)

¹⁹ Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
    whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.

²⁰ One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
    one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.

²¹ To have a fool for a child brings grief;
    there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.^(V)

²² A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed^(W) spirit dries up the bones.^(X)

²³ The wicked accept bribes^(Y) in secret
    to pervert the course of justice.^(Z)

²⁴ A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
    but a fool’s eyes^(AA) wander to the ends of the earth.

²⁵ A foolish son brings grief to his father
    and bitterness to the mother who bore him.^(AB)

²⁶ If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,^(AC)
    surely to flog honest officials is not right.

²⁷ The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,^(AD)
    and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.^(AE)

²⁸ Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
    and discerning if they hold their tongues.^(AF)

⁵ The heavens^(E) praise your wonders, Lord,
    your faithfulness too, in the assembly^(F) of the holy ones.
⁶ For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
    Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?^(G)
7 In the council^(H) of the holy ones^(I) God is greatly feared;
    he is more awesome than all who surround him.^(J)
8 Who is like you,^(K) Lord God Almighty?^(L)
    You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

⁹ You rule over the surging sea;
    when its waves mount up, you still them.^(M)
10 You crushed Rahab^(N) like one of the slain;
    with your strong arm you scattered^(O) your enemies.
¹¹ The heavens are yours,^(P) and yours also the earth;^(Q)
    you founded the world and all that is in it.^(R)
12 You created the north and the south;
    Tabor^(S) and Hermon^(T) sing for joy^(U) at your name.
¹³ Your arm is endowed with power;
    your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.^(V)

¹⁴ Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;^(W)
    love and faithfulness go before you.^(X)
15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
    who walk^(Y) in the light^(Z) of your presence, Lord.
¹⁶ They rejoice in your name^(AA) all day long;
    they celebrate your righteousness.
¹⁷ For you are their glory and strength,^(AB)
    and by your favor you exalt our horn.^[d](AC)
18 Indeed, our shield^[e](AD) belongs to the Lord,
    our king^(AE) to the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁹ Once you spoke in a vision,
    to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
    I have raised up a young man from among the people.
²⁰ I have found David^(AF) my servant;^(AG)
    with my sacred oil^(AH) I have anointed^(AI) him.
²¹ My hand will sustain him;
    surely my arm will strengthen him.^(AJ)
22 The enemy will not get the better of him;^(AK)
    the wicked will not oppress^(AL) him.
²³ I will crush his foes before him^(AM)
    and strike down his adversaries.^(AN)
24 My faithful love will be with him,^(AO)
    and through my name his horn^[f] will be exalted.
²⁵ I will set his hand over the sea,
    his right hand over the rivers.^(AP)
26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,^(AQ)
    my God, the Rock^(AR) my Savior.’^(AS)
27 And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,^(AT)
    the most exalted^(AU) of the kings^(AV) of the earth.
²⁸ I will maintain my love to him forever,
    and my covenant with him will never fail.^(AW)
29 I will establish his line forever,
    his throne as long as the heavens endure.^(AX)

³⁰ “If his sons forsake my law
    and do not follow my statutes,
³¹ if they violate my decrees
    and fail to keep my commands,
³² I will punish their sin with the rod,
    their iniquity with flogging;^(AY)
33 but I will not take my love from him,^(AZ)
    nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.
³⁴ I will not violate my covenant
    or alter what my lips have uttered.^(BA)
35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
    and I will not lie to David—
³⁶ that his line will continue forever
    and his throne endure before me like the sun;^(BB)
37 it will be established forever like the moon,
    the faithful witness in the sky.”^(BC)

³⁸ But you have rejected,^(BD) you have spurned,
    you have been very angry with your anointed one.
³⁹ You have renounced the covenant with your servant
    and have defiled his crown in the dust.^(BE)
40 You have broken through all his walls^(BF)
    and reduced his strongholds^(BG) to ruins.
⁴¹ All who pass by have plundered^(BH) him;
    he has become the scorn of his neighbors.^(BI)
42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
    you have made all his enemies rejoice.^(BJ)
43 Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword
    and have not supported him in battle.^(BK)
44 You have put an end to his splendor
    and cast his throne to the ground.
⁴⁵ You have cut short^(BL) the days of his youth;
    you have covered him with a mantle of shame.^(BM)

⁴⁶ How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
    How long will your wrath burn like fire?^(BN)
47 Remember how fleeting is my life.^(BO)
    For what futility you have created all humanity!
⁴⁸ Who can live and not see death,
    or who can escape the power of the grave?^(BP)
49 Lord, where is your former great love,
    which in your faithfulness you swore to David?
⁵⁰ Remember, Lord, how your servant has^[g] been mocked,^(BQ)
    how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,
⁵¹ the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked,
    with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.^(BR)

⁵² Praise be to the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.^(BS)