Proverbs 21:12-24

¹²The God of justice sees what happens in the homes of the wicked, and brings the wicked down in disaster.

¹³If you refuse to hear the cries of the poor, your cries won't be heard either.

¹⁴A gift given in secret calms down anger, and a hidden bribe soothes furious rage.

¹⁵When justice is done, the good are happy, but it brings terror to those who do evil.

¹⁶Anyone who wanders away from the path of understanding ends up with the dead.

¹⁷If you love pleasure you'll become poor; if you love wine and olive oil you won't ever be rich.

¹⁸The wicked pay the price and not the good; those who are deceitful and not those who live right.

¹⁹It's better to live in a desert than with an argumentative and bad-tempered wife.

²⁰The wise hold on to their wealth and olive oil, but stupid people use up everything they have.

²¹If you pursue goodness and trustworthy love, you'll find life, prosperity, and honor.

²²The wise can overcome a city belonging to strong warriors, and tear down the fortress they trusted to protect them.

²³If you watch what you say, you can save yourself a lot of trouble.

²⁴A proud, conceited, mocker—that's the name of those who act with insolent arrogance.