19 He who loves a quarrel loves sin;
he who builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 A man of perverse heart does not prosper;
he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
21 To have a fool for a son brings grief;
there is no joy for the father of a fool.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23 A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice.
24 A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the one who bore him.
26 It is not good to punish an innocent man, or to flog officials for their integrity.
27 A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.
28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.
Proverbs 17:19-28