1It is better to eat a dry crust of bread in peace and quiet
than to eat a big dinner in a house full of fighting.
2A wise servant will rule over a shameful child.
He will be given part of the property as if he were a family member.
3Fire tests silver, and heat tests gold.
But the Lord tests our hearts.
4Evil people listen to lies.
Lying people listen to evil.
5Anyone who laughs at those who are poor makes fun of their Maker.
Anyone who is happy when others suffer will be punished.
6Grandchildren are like a crown to older people.
And children are proud of their parents.
7Fancy words don’t belong in the mouths of ungodly fools.
And lies certainly don’t belong in the mouths of rulers!
8Those who give money think it will buy them favors.
They think that no matter where they turn, they will succeed.
9Whoever wants to show love forgives a wrong.
But those who talk about it separate close friends.
10A person who understands what is right learns more from just a warning
than a foolish person learns from 100 strokes with a whip.
11An evil person tries to keep others from obeying God.
The messenger of death will be sent against them.
12It is better to meet a bear whose cubs have been stolen
than to meet a foolish person who is acting foolishly.
13Evil will never leave the house
of anyone who pays back evil for good.
14Starting to argue is like making a crack in a dam.
So drop the matter before a fight breaks out.
15The Lord hates two things.
He hates it when the guilty are set free.
He also hates it when those who aren’t guilty are punished.
16Why should a foolish person try to buy wisdom?
They are not even able to understand it.
17A friend loves at all times.
They are there to help when trouble comes.
18A person who has no sense agrees to pay what other people owe.
It isn’t wise to promise to pay other people’s bills.
19The one who loves to argue loves to sin.
The one who builds a high gate is just asking to be destroyed.
20If your heart is twisted, you won’t succeed.
If your tongue tells lies, you will get into trouble.
21It is sad to have a foolish child.
The parents of a godless fool have no joy.
22A cheerful heart makes you healthy.
But a broken spirit dries you up.
23Anyone who does wrong accepts favors in secret.
Then they turn what is right into what is wrong.
24Anyone who understands what is right keeps wisdom in view.
But the eyes of a foolish person look everywhere else.
25A foolish child makes his father sad
and his mother sorry.
26It isn’t good to fine those who aren’t guilty.
So it certainly isn’t good to whip officials just because they are honest.
27Anyone who has knowledge controls their words.
Anyone who has understanding is not easily upset.
28We think even foolish people are wise if they keep silent.
We think they understand what is right if they control their tongues.
1Bedre at spise tørt brød i fred
end festmad i splid og spektakel.
2En klog slave får autoritet over sin herres uvorne unger,
og han får del i arven, som var han en søn af familien.
3En smeltning kan afgøre kvaliteten af sølv eller guld,
men kun Herren kender et menneskes hjerte.
4En ballademager tiltrækkes af destruktive planer,
og en løgner lytter gerne til svig og bedrag.
5At foragte de fattige er at håne deres Skaber,
den, der er skadefro, vil selv komme i ulykke.
6Bedsteforældre er stolte af deres børnebørn,
ligesom børn er stolte af deres forældre.
7En tåbe bør holde sig fra store ord,
og den ædle bør holde sig fra løgn.
8Bestikkelse virker som en trylleformular,
for den kan åbne et utal af døre.
9Den, der bærer over med en forurettelse, skaber gode relationer,
men at hænge sig i andres fejl kan skille selv de bedste venner.
10En fornuftig person lærer mere af en enkelt irettesættelse,
end en tåbe lærer af 100 afstraffelser.
11Onde mennesker er altid i oprør,
men de vil få en velfortjent straf.
12Hellere møde en bjørn, hvis unger er taget fra den,
end en tåbe, der slår om sig med tåbeligheder.
13Den, der gengælder godt med ondt,
vil blive forfulgt af uheld.
14At indlede et skænderi er som at åbne for en sluse,
du må hellere få lukket igen, før der bliver rigtig krig.
15At dømme en uskyldig og frikende en skyldig,
begge dele vækker afsky hos Herren.
16Hvad skal en tåbe bruge penge til?
Kan man købe visdom, når man er uden forstand?
17En ven er altid en ven,
og slægtninge har man som en hjælp i nøden.
18Det er dumt at stå inde for en fremmed mands lån
og stille garanti for en andens gæld.
19De, der elsker at skændes, skaber altid problemer,
de overvurderer sig selv, og det ender galt.
20Den, der har falske motiver, klarer sig skidt,
og den, der lever i bedrag, falder med et brag.
21Et tåbeligt barn giver sine forældre sorg,
en oprørsk unge giver ingen glæde.
22Et glad hjerte giver en sund krop,
nedtrykthed dræner ens livsmod.
23Onde mennesker tager imod bestikkelse
og kæmper imod al retfærdighed.
24Den fornuftige har visdom for øje,
men tåbens blik fortaber sig i det fjerne.
25Et tåbeligt barn bringer sin far sorg
og gør sin mor skuffet og bitter.
26Det er forkert, at give de uskyldige bøder
og straffe de mennesker, som er ærlige.
27Den kloge overvejer nøje sine ord,
den forstandige holder hovedet koldt.
28En tåbe, der tier, kan gå for at være fornuftig,
den, der holder sin mund, betragtes som forstandig.
