Proverbs 17:16-28

New Living Translation

¹⁶ It is senseless to pay to educate a fool,
    since he has no heart for learning.

¹⁷ A friend is always loyal,
    and a brother is born to help in time of need.

¹⁸ It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt
    or put up security for a friend.

¹⁹ Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin;
    anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.

²⁰ The crooked heart will not prosper;
    the lying tongue tumbles into trouble.

²¹ It is painful to be the parent of a fool;
    there is no joy for the father of a rebel.

²² A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

²³ The wicked take secret bribes
    to pervert the course of justice.

²⁴ Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom,
    but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

²⁵ Foolish children^[a] bring grief to their father
    and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.

²⁶ It is wrong to punish the godly for being good
    or to flog leaders for being honest.

²⁷ A truly wise person uses few words;
    a person with understanding is even-tempered.

²⁸ Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent;
    with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.