Read the Bible

¹ Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home;
    Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick.

² An honest life shows respect for God;
    a degenerate life is a slap in his face.

³ Frivolous talk provokes a derisive smile;
    wise speech evokes nothing but respect.

⁴ No cattle, no crops;
    a good harvest requires a strong ox for the plow.

⁵ A true witness never lies;
    a false witness makes a business of it.

⁶ Cynics look high and low for wisdom—and never find it;
    the open-minded find it right on their doorstep!

⁷ Escape quickly from the company of fools;
    they're a waste of your time, a waste of your words.

⁸ The wisdom of the wise keeps life on track;
    the foolishness of fools lands them in the ditch.

⁹ The stupid ridicule right and wrong,
    but a moral life is a favored life.

¹⁰ The person who shuns the bitter moments of friends
    will be an outsider at their celebrations.

¹¹ Lives of careless wrongdoing are tumbledown shacks;
    holy living builds soaring cathedrals.^12-13 There's a way of life that looks harmless enough;
    look again—it leads straight to hell.
Sure, those people appear to be having a good time,
    but all that laughter will end in heartbreak.

¹⁴ A mean person gets paid back in meanness,
    a gracious person in grace.

¹⁵ The gullible believe anything they're told;
    the prudent sift and weigh every word.

¹⁶ The wise watch their steps and avoid evil;
    fools are headstrong and reckless.

¹⁷ The hotheaded do things they'll later regret;
    the coldhearted get the cold shoulder.

¹⁸ Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion;
    wise realists plant their feet on the ground.

¹⁹ Eventually, evil will pay tribute to good;
    the wicked will respect God-loyal people.

²⁰ An unlucky loser is shunned by all,
    but everyone loves a winner.

²¹ It's criminal to ignore a neighbor in need,
    but compassion for the poor—what a blessing!

²² Isn't it obvious that conspirators lose out,
    while the thoughtful win love and trust?

²³ Hard work always pays off;
    mere talk puts no bread on the table.

²⁴ The wise accumulate wisdom;
    fools get stupider by the day.

²⁵ Souls are saved by truthful witness
    and betrayed by the spread of lies.

²⁶ The Fear-of-God builds up confidence,
    and makes a world safe for your children.

²⁷ The Fear-of-God is a spring of living water
    so you won't go off drinking from poisoned wells.

²⁸ The mark of a good leader is loyal followers;
    leadership is nothing without a following.

²⁹ Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding;
    a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity.

³⁰ A sound mind makes for a robust body,
    but runaway emotions corrode the bones.

³¹ You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless;
    when you're kind to the poor, you honor God.

³² The evil of bad people leaves them out in the cold;
    the integrity of good people creates a safe place for living.

³³ Lady Wisdom is at home in an understanding heart—
    fools never even get to say hello.

³⁴ God-devotion makes a country strong;
    God-avoidance leaves people weak.

³⁵ Diligent work gets a warm commendation;
    shiftless work earns an angry rebuke.