²⁶ He who gives an honest answer
gives a kiss on the lips.

⁸ Don’t take a matter to court hastily.^(A)
Otherwise, what will you do afterward
if your opponent^[a] humiliates you?
⁹ Make your case with your opponent^[b]
without revealing another’s secret;^(B)
10 otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you,
and you’ll never live it down.^[c]

¹¹ A word spoken at the right time
is like gold apples on a silver tray.^[a](A)
12 A wise correction to a receptive ear^(B)
is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.

¹³ To those who send him, a trustworthy messenger
is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day;
he refreshes the life of his masters.^(C)

¹⁴ The man who boasts about a gift that does not exist
is like clouds and wind without rain.^(D)
15 A ruler can be persuaded through patience,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.^(E)

²⁰ Singing songs to a troubled heart
is like taking off clothing on a cold day
or like pouring vinegar on soda.^[a](A)

¹⁷ A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his
is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.

²³ One who rebukes a person will later find more favor^(A)
than one who flatters^[a] with his tongue.^(B)

²⁰ Do you see a man who speaks too soon?^(A)
There is more hope for a fool than for him.^(B)