5 a He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;
b He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
‡
6 a Children’s children
are the crown of old men,
And the glory of children
is their father.
‡
7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.
8 A present
is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9 a He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But
b he who repeats a matter separates friends.
‡
10 a Rebuke is more effective for a wise
man Than a hundred blows on a fool.
‡
11 An evil
man seeks only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet
a a bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.
‡
13 Whoever
a rewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.
‡
14 The beginning of strife
is like releasing water;
Therefore
a stop contention before a quarrel starts.
‡
15 a He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike
are an abomination to the
Lord .
‡
16 Why
is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since
he has no heart
for it?
17 a A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
‡
18 a A man devoid of
1 understanding shakes hands in a pledge,
And becomes
1 surety for his friend.
‡
19 He who loves transgression loves strife,
And
a he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.
‡
20 He who has a
1 deceitful heart finds no good,
And he who has
a a perverse tongue falls into evil.
‡
21 He who begets a scoffer
does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A
a merry heart does good,
like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.
‡
23 A wicked
man accepts a bribe
1 behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.
‡
New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
