Righteous and lawless mouths
1
Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, || Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
2
A wise servant rules over a son causing shame, || And he apportions an inheritance in the midst of brothers.
3
A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, || And the trier of hearts [is] YHWH.
4
An evildoer is attentive to lips of vanity, || Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
5
Whoever is mocking at the poor || Has reproached his Maker, || Whoever is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
6
Sons’ sons [are] the crown of old men, || And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
7
A lip of excellence is not fitting for a fool, much less a lip of falsehood for a noble.
8
A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, || Wherever it turns, it prospers.
9
Whoever is covering transgression is seeking love, || And whoever is repeating a matter || Is separating a familiar friend.
10
Rebuke comes down on the intelligent || More than one hundred stripes on a fool.
11
An evil man seeks only rebellion, || And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
12
The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, || And—not a fool in his folly.
Wisdom in behavior
13
Whoever is returning evil for good, || Evil does not move from his house.
14
The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, || And leave the strife before it is meddled with.
15
Whoever is justifying the wicked, || And condemning the righteous, || Even both of these [are] an abomination to YHWH.
16
Why [is] this—a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, || And a heart—there is none?
17
The friend is loving at all times, || And a brother is born for adversity.
18
A man lacking heart is striking hands, || He becomes a guarantor before his friend.
19
Whoever is loving transgression is loving debate, || Whoever is making his entrance high is seeking destruction.
20
The perverse of heart does not find good, || And the [one] turned in his tongue falls into evil.
21
Whoever is begetting a fool has affliction for it, || Indeed, the father of a fool does not rejoice.
22
A rejoicing heart does good to the body, || And a struck spirit dries the bone.
23
The wicked takes a bribe from the bosom, || To turn aside the paths of judgment.
24
The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, || And the eyes of a fool—at the end of the earth.
25
A foolish son [is] a provocation to his father, || And bitterness to her bearing him.
26
Also, [it] is not good to fine the righteous, || To strike nobles for uprightness.
27
One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, || And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
28
Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, || He who is shutting his lips [seems] intelligent!
Copyright © 2020 Covenant Press and the CCC - licensed under CC BY-SA