17 ^(A)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting^[a] with strife.
² A servant who deals wisely will rule over ^(B)a son who acts shamefully
    and ^(C)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
^3 (D)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    ^(E)and the Lord tests hearts.
⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
⁵ Whoever mocks the poor ^(F)insults his Maker;
    he who is ^(G)glad at calamity will not go ^(H)unpunished.
^6 (I)Grandchildren are ^(J)the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
⁷ Fine speech is not ^(K)becoming to a fool;
    still less is ^(L)false speech to a prince.
^8 (M)A bribe is like a magic^[b] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
⁹ Whoever ^(N)covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter ^(O)separates close friends.
¹⁰ A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and ^(P)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹² Let a man meet ^(Q)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    ^(R)rather than a fool in his folly.
¹³ If anyone ^(S)returns evil for good,
    ^(T)evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so ^(U)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
¹⁵ He who ^(V)justifies the wicked and he who ^(W)condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why should a fool have money in his hand ^(X)to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
^17 (Y)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 ^(Z)makes his door high seeks destruction.
^20 (AA)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
²¹ He who ^(AB)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.
^22 (AC)A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit ^(AD)dries up the bones.
²³ The wicked accepts ^(AE)a bribe in secret^[c]
    to ^(AF)pervert the ways of justice.
^24 (AG)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
^25 (AH)A foolish son is a grief to his father
    ^(AI)and bitterness to ^(AJ)her who bore him.
^26 (AK)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷ Whoever ^(AL)restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
²⁸ Even a fool ^(AM)who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

28 ^(A)The wicked flee when no one pursues,
    but ^(B)the righteous are bold as a lion.
² When a land transgresses, ^(C)it has many rulers,
    but with a man of understanding and knowledge,
    its stability will long continue.
^3 (D)A poor man who oppresses the poor
    is a beating rain that leaves no food.
⁴ Those who forsake the law ^(E)praise the wicked,
    but those who keep the law ^(F)strive against them.
⁵ Evil men ^(G)do not understand justice,
    but those who seek the Lord ^(H)understand it completely.
^6 (I)Better is a poor man who ^(J)walks in his integrity
    than a rich man who is ^(K)crooked in his ways.
⁷ The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,
    but ^(L)a companion of gluttons shames his father.
⁸ Whoever multiplies his wealth ^(M)by interest and profit^{[a]
    (N)}gathers it for him who is ^(O)generous to the poor.
⁹ If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
    even his ^(P)prayer is an abomination.
¹⁰ Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way
    ^(Q)will fall into his own pit,
    but the blameless ^(R)will have a goodly inheritance.
¹¹ A rich man is wise in his ^(S)own eyes,
    but a poor man who has understanding ^(T)will find him out.
¹² When ^(U)the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
    but when ^(V)the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
¹³ Whoever ^(W)conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
    but he who ^(X)confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
¹⁴ Blessed is the one who ^(Y)fears the Lord^[b] always,
    but whoever ^(Z)hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
¹⁵ Like ^(AA)a roaring lion or ^(AB)a charging bear
    is ^(AC)a wicked ruler over a poor people.
¹⁶ A ruler who ^(AD)lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
    but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
¹⁷ If one is burdened with ^(AE)the blood of another,
    he will be a fugitive until death;^[c]
    let no one help him.
^18 (AF)Whoever ^(AG)walks in integrity will be delivered,
    but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
^19 (AH)Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
    but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
²⁰ A faithful man will abound with blessings,
    but whoever hastens to be rich ^(AI)will not go unpunished.
²¹ To show ^(AJ)partiality is not good,
    but for ^(AK)a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
²² A ^(AL)stingy man^{[d] (AM)}hastens after wealth
    and does not know that ^(AN)poverty will come upon him.
²³ Whoever ^(AO)rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
    than ^(AP)he who flatters with his tongue.
²⁴ Whoever robs his father or his mother
    and says, “That is no transgression,”
    is ^(AQ)a companion to a man who destroys.
²⁵ A greedy man ^(AR)stirs up strife,
    but the one who trusts in the Lord will ^(AS)be enriched.
²⁶ Whoever ^(AT)trusts in his own mind is a fool,
    but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
²⁷ Whoever ^(AU)gives to the poor will not want,
    but he who ^(AV)hides his eyes will get many a curse.
²⁸ When ^(AW)the wicked rise, ^(AX)people hide themselves,
    but when they perish, the righteous increase.