17 Better to gnaw on a bit of dry crust in peace
    than to feast in a house full of stress.
² A wise servant will be put in charge of a child who behaves badly
    and will take a share of the inheritance like one of the family.
³ Silver is purified in the crucible, gold in the furnace,
    but motives of the heart are judged by the Eternal.
⁴ Wrongdoers perk up when listening to gossip,
    and liars lean in close to hear talk of mischief.
⁵ Anyone who makes fun of the poor disparages his Maker,
    and those who celebrate another’s misfortune will not escape certain punishment.
⁶ Grandchildren are the crowning glory and ultimate delight of old age,
    and parents are the pride of their children.
⁷ Elegant speech sounds odd when it comes from a fool,
    and a lie on the lips of a leader is even more out of place!
⁸ A bribe is like an enchanting charm to one who counts on it—
    everywhere he looks he sees the illusion of success.
⁹ Those who forgive faults foster love,
    but those who repeatedly recall them ruin relationships.
¹⁰ A single correction makes a more lasting impression on one who is wise
    than a hundred lashes do on a fool.
¹¹ Evil people are determined to rebel,
    and so a merciless messenger will chase them down.
¹² Better to face a mother bear stripped of her cubs
    than to encounter a fool caught up in his foolishness.
¹³ Those who repay good with evil
    bring unrelenting trouble upon their families.
¹⁴ Picking a fight is like leaking water from a crack in a dam,
    so walk away from an argument before the outburst.
¹⁵ Both of these deeply offend the Eternal:
    one who acquits the guilty and one who condemns the innocent.
¹⁶ Even if fools had the means to obtain wisdom,
    they would not be able to benefit from it.
¹⁷ A true friend loves regardless of the situation,
    and a real brother exists to share the tough times.
¹⁸ Only a fool shakes hands on a deal
    and guarantees repayment of someone else’s loan.
¹⁹ A person who loves sin loves a fight,
    and one who builds a grand entrance dares others to tear it down.
²⁰ Crooked-hearted people never recognize anything good,
    and those who distort the truth court disaster.
²¹ Having a fool for a child is misery;
    there is no joy in parenting a fool.
²² A joy-filled heart is curative balm,
    but a broken spirit hurts all the way to the bone.
²³ A wicked person accepts a bribe under the table
    to derail the course of justice.
²⁴ Those who understand look to wisdom for guidance,
    but fools fasten their eyes on some distant horizon.
²⁵ Foolish children irritate their fathers
    and embitter their mothers.
²⁶ Also know this: It is wrong to penalize those who do what is right
    or to lash the noble because of their integrity.
²⁷ Those with knowledge know when to be quiet,
    and those with understanding know how to remain calm.
²⁸ Even a fool who keeps quiet is considered wise,
    for when he keeps his mouth shut, he appears clever.