¹⁹ But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you will name him Isaac.^[a] I will keep my covenant with him and with his descendants forever. It is an everlasting covenant.

³ A good wife is among the precious blessings given to those who fear the Lord. ⁴ Whether such men are rich or poor, they will be happy and always look cheerful.

⁵ There are four things that scare me: vicious rumors spread around town, a gathering mob, false accusations—these are all worse than death.

²⁸ Arrogant people insult others and make fun of them,^[a] but someone is waiting like a lion for a chance to take revenge on them.

¹⁴ Many have had their lives ruined and have been driven from their homes because of people who meddled in their business. Such unwanted interference has resulted in the destruction of strong cities and the homes of respected people.