Proverbs

¹ Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick.

² a degenerate life is a slap in his face.

³ wise speech evokes nothing but respect.

⁴ a good harvest requires a strong ox for the plow.

⁵ a false witness makes a business of it.

⁶ the open-minded find it right on their doorstep!

⁷ they're a waste of your time, a waste of your words.

⁸ the foolishness of fools lands them in the ditch.

⁹ but a moral life is a favored life.

¹⁰ will be an outsider at their celebrations.

¹¹ holy living builds soaring cathedrals.

¹² look again—it leads straight to hell.

¹³ but all that laughter will end in heartbreak.

¹⁴ a gracious person in grace.

¹⁵ the prudent sift and weigh every word.

¹⁶ fools are headstrong and reckless.

¹⁷ the coldhearted get the cold shoulder.

¹⁸ wise realists plant their feet on the ground.

¹⁹ the wicked will respect God-loyal people.

²⁰ but everyone loves a winner.

²¹ but compassion for the poor—what a blessing!

²² while the thoughtful win love and trust?

²³ mere talk puts no bread on the table.

²⁴ fools get stupider by the day.

²⁵ and betrayed by the spread of lies.

²⁶ and makes a world safe for your children.

²⁷ so you won't go off drinking from poisoned wells.

²⁸ leadership is nothing without a following.

²⁹ a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity.

³⁰ but runaway emotions corrode the bones.

³¹ when you're kind to the poor, you honor God.

³² the integrity of good people creates a safe place for living.

³³ fools never even get to say hello.

³⁴ God-avoidance leaves people weak.

³⁵ shiftless work earns an angry rebuke.