Online Bible

Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

One who separates himself seeks his own desire;He ¹^aquarrels against all sound wisdom.2 A fool does not delight in understanding,But ^ain revealing his own ¹mind.3 When a wicked person comes, contempt also comes,And with dishonor comes taunting.4 The words of a person’s mouth are ^adeep waters;¹The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.5 To ^ashow partiality to the wicked is not good,Nor to ^bsuppress the righteous in judgment.6 A fool’s lips ¹bring strife,And his mouth invites ^abeatings.7 A ^afool’s mouth is his ruin,And his lips are the snare of his soul.8 The words of a gossiper are like dainty morsels,And they go down into the ¹innermost parts of the body.9 He also who is ^alax in his work^bIs a brother to him who destroys.10 The ^aname of the LORD is a ^bstrong tower;The righteous runs into it and ^cis ¹safe.11 A ^arich person’s wealth is his strong city,And like a high wall in his own imagination.12 ^aBefore destruction the heart of a person is haughty,But ^bhumility goes before honor.13 One who ^agives an answer before he hears,It is foolishness and shame to him.14 The ^aspirit of a person can endure his sickness,But as for a ^bbroken spirit, who can endure it?15 The ¹^amind of the discerning acquires knowledge,And the ^bear of the wise seeks knowledge.16 A person’s ^agift makes room for himAnd brings him before great people.17 The first ¹to plead his case seems right,Until ²another comes and examines him.18 The cast ^alot puts an end to quarrels,And ¹decides between the mighty ones.19 A brother who is offended is harder to be won than a strong city,And quarrels are like the bars of a citadel.20 With the ¹^afruit of a person’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;^bHe will be satisfied with the product of his lips.21 ^aDeath and life are in the ¹power of the tongue,And those who love it will eat its ^bfruit.22 He who finds a ^awife finds a good thingAnd ^bobtains favor from the LORD.23 A ^apoor person utters pleadings,But a ^brich person ^canswers defiantly.24 A person of too many friends comes to ¹ruin,But there is ^aa friend who sticks closer than a brother.