Wise Friends Make You Wise
1Children with good sense
accept correction
from their parents,
but stubborn children
ignore it completely.
2You will be well rewarded
for saying something kind,
but all some people think about
is how to be cruel and mean.
3 Keep what you know to yourself,
and you will be safe;
talk too much,
and you are done for.
4No matter how much you want,
laziness won't help a bit,
but hard work will reward you
with more than enough.
5A good person hates deceit,
but those who are evil
cause shame and disgrace.
6Live right, and you are safe!
But sin will destroy you.
7Some who have nothing
may pretend to be rich,
and some who have everything
may pretend to be poor.
8The rich may have
to pay a ransom,
but the poor don't have
that problem.
9The lamp of a good person
keeps on shining;
the lamp of an evil person
soon goes out.
10Too much pride causes trouble.
Be sensible and take advice.
11Money wrongly gained
will disappear bit by bit;
money earned little by little
will grow and grow.
12Not getting what you want
can break your heart,
but a wish that comes true
is a life-giving tree.
13If you reject God's teaching,
you will pay the price;
if you obey his commands,
you will be rewarded.
14Sensible instruction
is a life-giving fountain
that helps you escape
all deadly traps.
15Sound judgment is praised,
but people without good sense
are on the way to disaster.
16If you have good sense,
you will act sensibly,
but fools act like fools.
17Whoever delivers your message
can make things better
or worse for you.
18All who refuse correction
will be poor and disgraced;
all who accept correction
will be praised.
19It's a good feeling
to get what you want,
but only a stupid fool
hates to turn from evil.
20 Wise friends make you wise,
but you hurt yourself
by going around with fools.
21You are in for trouble
if you sin,
but you will be rewarded
if you live right.
22If you obey God,
you will have something
to leave your grandchildren.
If you don't obey God,
those who live right
will get what you leave.
23Even when the land of the poor
produces good crops,
they get cheated
out of what they grow.
24If you love your children,
you will correct them;
if you don't love them,
you won't correct them.
25If you live right,
you will have plenty to eat;
if you don't live right,
you will go away empty.