Proverbs 17:13-18:12

English Standard Version

¹³ If anyone ^(A)returns evil for good,
    ^(B)evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so ^(C)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
¹⁵ He who ^(D)justifies the wicked and he who ^(E)condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why should a fool have money in his hand ^(F)to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
^17 (G)A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.
¹⁸ One who lacks sense gives a pledge
    and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
¹⁹ Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who ^(H)makes his door high seeks destruction.
^20 (I)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
²¹ He who ^(J)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.
^22 (K)A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit ^(L)dries up the bones.
²³ The wicked accepts ^(M)a bribe in secret^[a]
    to ^(N)pervert the ways of justice.
^24 (O)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
^25 (P)A foolish son is a grief to his father
    ^(Q)and bitterness to ^(R)her who bore him.
^26 (S)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷ Whoever ^(T)restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
²⁸ Even a fool ^(U)who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
18 Whoever ^(V)isolates himself seeks his own desire;
    he breaks out against all sound judgment.
² A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only ^(W)in expressing his opinion.
³ When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
    and with dishonor comes disgrace.
⁴ The words of a man's mouth are ^(X)deep waters;
    the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
⁵ It is not good to ^(Y)be partial to^[b] the wicked
    or to ^(Z)deprive the righteous of justice.
⁶ A fool's lips walk into a fight,
    and his mouth invites ^(AA)a beating.
^7 (AB)A fool's mouth is his ruin,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.
^8 (AC)The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into ^(AD)the inner parts of the body.
⁹ Whoever is slack in his work
    is a ^(AE)brother to him who destroys.
^10 (AF)The name of the Lord is ^(AG)a strong tower;
    the righteous man runs into it and ^(AH)is safe.
^11 (AI)A rich man's wealth is his strong city,
    and like a high wall in his imagination.
^12 (AJ)Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
    but ^(AK)humility comes before honor.