Proverbs 18:15-19:17

New International Version

¹⁵ The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,^(A)
    for the ears of the wise seek it out.

¹⁶ A gift^(B) opens the way
    and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

¹⁷ In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
    until someone comes forward and cross-examines.

¹⁸ Casting the lot settles disputes^(C)
    and keeps strong opponents apart.

¹⁹ A brother wronged^(D) is more unyielding than a fortified city;
    disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.

²⁰ From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
    with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.^(E)

²¹ The tongue has the power of life and death,^(F)
    and those who love it will eat its fruit.^(G)

²² He who finds a wife finds what is good^(H)
    and receives favor from the Lord.^(I)

²³ The poor plead for mercy,
    but the rich answer harshly.

²⁴ One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.^(J)

19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than a fool whose lips are perverse.^(K)

² Desire without knowledge is not good—
    how much more will hasty feet miss the way!^(L)

³ A person’s own folly^(M) leads to their ruin,
    yet their heart rages against the Lord.^(N)

⁴ Wealth attracts many friends,
    but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.^(O)

⁵ A false witness^(P) will not go unpunished,^(Q)
    and whoever pours out lies will not go free.^(R)

⁶ Many curry favor with a ruler,^(S)
    and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.^(T)

⁷ The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
    how much more do their friends avoid them!^(U)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
    they are nowhere to be found.^[a](V)

⁸ The one who gets wisdom loves life;
    the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.^(W)

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and whoever pours out lies will perish.^(X)

¹⁰ It is not fitting for a fool^(Y) to live in luxury—
    how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!^(Z)

¹¹ A person’s wisdom yields patience;^(AA)
    it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

¹² A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,^(AB)
    but his favor is like dew^(AC) on the grass.^(AD)

¹³ A foolish child is a father’s ruin,^(AE)
    and a quarrelsome wife is like
    the constant dripping of a leaky roof.^(AF)

¹⁴ Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,^(AG)
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.^(AH)

¹⁵ Laziness brings on deep sleep,
    and the shiftless go hungry.^(AI)

¹⁶ Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
    but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.^(AJ)

¹⁷ Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,^(AK)
    and he will reward them for what they have done.^(AL)