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
without revealing another’s secret;^(B)
10 otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you,
and you’ll never live it down.^[b]

¹¹ A word spoken at the right time
is like gold apples in silver settings.^(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 envoy
is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day;
he refreshes the life of his masters.^(C)

¹⁴ The one 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.