Proverbs 17:21-28

New American Standard Bible 1995

²¹ He who ^(A)sires a fool does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
²² A ^(B)joyful heart ^[a]is good medicine,
But a broken spirit ^(C)dries up the bones.
²³ A wicked man receives a ^(D)bribe from the bosom
To ^(E)pervert the ways of justice.
²⁴ Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding,
But the ^(F)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
²⁵ A ^(G)foolish son is a grief to his father
And ^(H)bitterness to her who bore him.
²⁶ It is also not good to ^(I)fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷ He who ^(J)restrains his words ^[b]has knowledge,
And he who has a ^(K)cool spirit is a man of understanding.
²⁸ Even a fool, when he ^(L)keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.