1 Better is a dry crust of bread where there is quietness than a house full of feasting with strife. 2 A servant who acts wisely will rule over an heir who behaves shamefully and will share the inheritance along with the relatives. 3 The crucible is for refining silver and the furnace is for gold; likewise the Lord tests hearts. 4 One who acts wickedly pays attention to evil counsel; a liar listens to a malicious tongue. 5 The one who mocks the poor has insulted his Creator; whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished. 6 Grandchildren are like a crown to the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents. 7 Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for a ruler! 8 A bribe works like a charm for the one who offers it; in whatever he does he succeeds. 9 The one who forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends. 10 A rebuke makes a greater impression on a discerning person than a hundred blows on a fool. 11 An evil person seeks only rebellion, and so a cruel messenger will be sent against him. 12 It is better for a person to meet a mother bear being robbed of her cubs than to encounter a fool in his folly. 13 As for the one who repays evil for good, evil will not leave his house.⁠a 14 Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; abandon strife before it breaks out! 15 The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent—both of them are an abomination to the Lord. 16 What’s the point of a fool having money in hand to buy wisdom when his head is empty? 17 A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity. 18 The one who lacks sense strikes hands in pledge and puts up financial security for his neighbor.⁠b 19 The one who loves a quarrel loves transgression; whoever builds his gate high seeks destruction. 20 The one who has a perverse heart does not find good, and the one who is deceitful in speech falls into trouble. 21 Whoever brings a fool into the world does so to his grief, and the father of a fool has no joy. 22 A cheerful heart brings good healing, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 23 A wicked person receives a bribe secretly to pervert the ways of justice. 24 Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person, but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth. 25 A foolish child is a grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him. 26 It is terrible to punish a righteous person, and to flog honorable men is wrong. 27 The truly wise person restrains his words, and the one who stays calm is discerning.⁠c 28 Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning.⁠d