Words can kill, but they can also give life
1Selfish people live only for themselves.
They do not have a lot of friends,
and they do not listen to people
who have true wisdom.
2Fools do not like listening
and becoming wise.
They only want to tell other people
what they think.
3If you do something wrong and sinful,
people won't be pleased with you,
and if you do something shameful,
they will laugh at you.
4The things that a person says
can be as wise and as deep as the sea.
Wisdom is like a stream of fresh water
that flows from a fountain.
5It is not good to say
that a guilty person is innocent,
because then you are unfair
to innocent people.
6A fool always wants to fight
when he talks, and when he speaks,
people want to beat him.
7The words of a fool destroy him.
They are like a trap that catches him.
8People love to listen to gossip
about people who have done wrong.
It is like good food that people love to eat.
9Someone who is lazy
and doesn't want to work
is as bad as someone who destroys everything.
10The name of the Lord
is like a strong tower.
If you belong to Him and live in the right way,
you are safe.
11Rich people think that their money
and things will protect them,
like the high walls of a city.
12The Lord will destroy proud people,
but He will honour humble people.
13People who answer
before they have listened well
are stupid and disrespectful.
14If you want to stay alive,
your spirit will stay strong,
even when you are sick,
but if your spirit is broken
and you are discouraged,
then your hope is gone.
15A wise person wants to know more.
A person who has knowledge
listens to what other people say and he learns.
16If you take a gift to an important person,
he will welcome you and listen to you.
17The first person to speak in court
always seems to be right
until the other person
starts asking him questions,
and then he doesn't seem to be right anymore.
18When 2 strong people argue in court,
you must ask the Lord who is right
by drawing_lots.
That will stop them from fighting.
19No one can come into a city
that has strong walls or into a palace
with strong gates and locks,
but it is even more difficult
to talk to a brother who is angry
because you have done
something wrong to him.
20Someone who says the right things
will get enough to eat,
and he will be rewarded
because he knows what to say.
21The words that you say can cause
people to die or they can give them life.
People who speak carefully will be rewarded.
22When a man finds a wife and marries her,
he finds something good.
It shows that the Lord is pleased with him.
23A poor man must always beg for mercy
but a rich man does not care how he answers.
24There are some friends
who only talk, but they do nothing.
A true friend will help you
more than your brother.
