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Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

¹ One who separates himself seeks his own desire;
He ^(F1)(C1)quarrels against all sound wisdom.

² A fool does not delight in understanding,
But ^(C1)in revealing his own ^(F1)mind.

³ When a wicked person comes, contempt also comes,
And with dishonor comes taunting.

⁴ The words of a person's mouth are ^(C1)deep waters;
^(F1)The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

⁵ To ^(C1)show partiality to the wicked is not good,
Nor to ^(C2)suppress the righteous in judgment.

⁶ A fool's lips ^(F1)bring strife,
And his mouth invites ^(C1)beatings.

⁷ A ^(C1)fool'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 ^(F1)innermost parts of the body.

⁹ He also who is ^(C1)lax in his work
^(C2)Is a brother to him who destroys.

¹⁰ The ^(C1)name of the LORD is a ^(C2)strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and ^(C3)is ^(F1)safe.

¹¹ A ^(C1)rich person's wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own imagination.

^12 (C1)Before destruction the heart of a person is haughty,
But ^(C2)humility goes before honor.

¹³ One who ^(C1)gives an answer before he hears,
It is foolishness and shame to him.

¹⁴ The ^(C1)spirit of a person can endure his sickness,
But as for a ^(C2)broken spirit, who can endure it?

¹⁵ The ^(F1)(C1)mind of the discerning acquires knowledge,
And the ^(C2)ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

¹⁶ A person's ^(C1)gift makes room for him
And brings him before great people.

¹⁷ The first ^(F1)to plead his case seems right,
Until ^(F2)another comes and examines him.

¹⁸ The cast ^(C1)lot puts an end to quarrels,
And ^(F1)decides 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 ^(F1)(C1)fruit of a person's mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
^(C2)He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.

^21 (C1)Death and life are in the ^(F1)power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its ^(C2)fruit.

²² He who finds a ^(C1)wife finds a good thing
And ^(C2)obtains favor from the LORD.

²³ A ^(C1)poor person utters pleadings,
But a ^(C2)rich person ^(C3)answers defiantly.

²⁴ A person of too many friends comes to ^(F1)ruin,
But there is ^(C1)a friend who sticks closer than a brother.