Proverbs 17:25-19:12

English Standard Version

^25 (A)A foolish son is a grief to his father
    ^(B)and bitterness to ^(C)her who bore him.
^26 (D)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷ Whoever ^(E)restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
²⁸ Even a fool ^(F)who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
18 Whoever ^(G)isolates himself seeks his own desire;
    he breaks out against all sound judgment.
² A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only ^(H)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 ^(I)deep waters;
    the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
⁵ It is not good to ^(J)be partial to^[a] the wicked
    or to ^(K)deprive the righteous of justice.
⁶ A fool's lips walk into a fight,
    and his mouth invites ^(L)a beating.
^7 (M)A fool's mouth is his ruin,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.
^8 (N)The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into ^(O)the inner parts of the body.
⁹ Whoever is slack in his work
    is a ^(P)brother to him who destroys.
^10 (Q)The name of the Lord is ^(R)a strong tower;
    the righteous man runs into it and ^(S)is safe.
^11 (T)A rich man's wealth is his strong city,
    and like a high wall in his imagination.
^12 (U)Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
    but ^(V)humility comes before honor.
¹³ If one gives an answer ^(W)before he hears,
    it is his folly and shame.
¹⁴ A man's spirit will endure sickness,
    but ^(X)a crushed spirit who can bear?
¹⁵ An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
    and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶ A man's ^(Y)gift makes room for him
    and brings him before the great.
¹⁷ The one who states his case first seems right,
    until the other comes and examines him.
^18 (Z)The lot puts an end to quarrels
    and decides between powerful contenders.
¹⁹ A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
    and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
^20 (AA)From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
    he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
^21 (AB)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
    and those who love it will eat its fruits.
²² He who finds ^(AC)a wife finds ^(AD)a good thing
    and ^(AE)obtains favor ^(AF)from the Lord.
²³ The poor use entreaties,
    but ^(AG)the rich answer roughly.
²⁴ A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but ^(AH)there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
19 ^(AI)Better is a poor person who ^(AJ)walks in his integrity
    than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
² Desire^[b] without knowledge is not good,
    and whoever ^(AK)makes haste with his feet misses his way.
³ When a man's folly ^(AL)brings his way to ruin,
    his heart ^(AM)rages against the Lord.
^4 (AN)Wealth brings many new friends,
    ^(AO)but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
^5 (AP)A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who ^(AQ)breathes out lies will not escape.
⁶ Many seek the favor of a generous man,^[c]
    and everyone is a friend to a man who gives ^(AR)gifts.
^7 (AS)All a poor man's brothers hate him;
    ^(AT)how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.^[d]
8 (AU)Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
    he who keeps understanding will ^(AV)discover good.
^9 (AW)A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who ^(AX)breathes out lies will perish.
^10 (AY)It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
    much less for ^(AZ)a slave to rule over princes.
^11 (BA)Good sense makes one slow to anger,
    and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
¹² A king's wrath is like ^(BB)the growling of a lion,
    but his ^(BC)favor is like ^(BD)dew on the grass.