Green Zone Ministries

Backpacks
We recently donated backpacks to under privileged kids. We filled them with school/art supplies.

Proverb 20
Wine Is a Mocker

1Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler,

and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

2The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion;

whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.a

3It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute,

but any fool will quarrel.

4The slacker does not plow in season;

at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.

5The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters,

but a man of understanding draws them out.

6Many a man proclaims his loving devotion,

but who can find a trustworthy man?

7The righteous man walks with integrity;

blessed are his children after him.

8A king who sits on a throne to judge

sifts out all evil with his eyes.

9Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;

I am cleansed from my sin”?

10Differing weights and unequal measuresb—

both are detestable to the LORD.

11Even a young man is known by his actions—

whether his conduct is pure and upright.

12Ears that hear and eyes that see—

the LORD has made them both.

13Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor;

open your eyes, and you will have plenty of food.

14“Worthless, worthless!” says the buyer,

but on the way out, he gloats.

15There is an abundance of gold and rubies,

but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.

16Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger;

get collateral if it is for a foreigner.c

17Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man,

but later his mouth is full of gravel.

18Set plans by consultation,

and wage war under sound guidance.

19He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip;

avoid the one who babblesd with his lips.

20Whoever curses his father or mother,

his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.

21An inheritance gained quickly

will not be blessed in the end.

22Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!”

Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.

23Unequal weights are detestable to the LORD,

and dishonest scales are no good.

24A man’s steps are from the LORD,

so how can anyone understand his own way?

25It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly,

only later to reconsider his vows.

26A wise king separates out the wicked

and drives the threshing wheel over them.

27The spirite of a man is the lamp of the LORD,

searching out his inmost being.

28Loving devotion and faithfulness preserve a king;

by these he maintains his throne.

29The glory of young men is their strength,

and gray hair is the splendor of the old.

30Lashes and wounds scour evil,

and beatings cleanse the inmost parts.

Here are some of the school supplies and back packs that we have donated to under privileged kids. Looking forward to donating again next school year. Please donate if y.ou would like to participate. Go to www.greenzoneministries.com. thank you

If you would like to donate to our cause, please go to our website. Visit greenzoneministries.com. Click on donate. Thank you for your support.

Home | Green Zone Ministries Green Zone Ministries is a nonprofit organization founded upon Christianity, sustainability, stewardship, and core principles derived from the seven Blue Zones around the globe where small communities of people have been found to consistently have greater longevity and life expectancy.

Proverbs 4
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Proverb 21
In the LORD’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.
2 A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart.
3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
6 A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting v***r and a deadly snare.
7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The wicked crave evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them.
11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.
12 The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.
13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
16 Whoever strays from the path of prudence comes to rest in the company of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.
18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright.
19 Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.
20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
22 One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.
24 The proud and arrogant person—“Mocker” is his name— behaves with insolent fury.
25 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with evil intent!
28 A false witness will perish, but a careful listener will testify successfully.
29 The wicked put up a bold front, but the upright give thought to their ways.
30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.

Proverb 13
Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,
but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.
Proverbs 13:3

Proverb 8
The Excellence of Wisdom

1Does not wisdom call out,

and understanding raise her voice?

2On the heights overlooking the road,

at the crossroads she takes her stand.

3Beside the gates to the city,

at the entrances she cries out:

4“To you, O men, I call out,

and my cry is to the sons of men.

5O simple ones, learn to be shrewd;

O fools, gain understanding.a

6Listen, for I speak of noble things,

and the opening of my lips will reveal right.

7For my mouth will speak the truth,

and wickedness is detestable to my lips.

8All the words of my mouth are righteous;

none are crooked or perverse.

9They are all plain to the discerning,

and upright to those who find knowledge.

10Receive my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than pure gold.

11For wisdom is more precious than rubies,

and nothing you desire compares with her.

12I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence,

and I find knowledge and discretion.

13To fear the LORD is to hate evil;

I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

14Counsel and sound judgment are mine;

I have insight and strength.

15By me kings reign,

and rulers enact just laws;

16By me princes rule,

and all nobles who govern justly.b

17I love those who love me,

and those who seek me early shall find me.

18With me are riches and honor,

enduring wealth and righteousness.

19My fruit is better than gold, pure gold,

and my harvest surpasses choice silver.

20I walk in the way of righteousness,

along the paths of justice,

21bestowing wealth on those who love me

and making their treasuries full.

22The LORD created me as His first course,c

before His works of old.

23From everlasting I was established,

from the beginning, before the earth began.

24When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth,

when no springs were overflowing with water.

25Before the mountains were settled,

before the hills, I was brought forth,

26before He made the land or fields,

or any of the dust of the earth.

27I was there when He established the heavens,

when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

28when He established the clouds above,

when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,

29when He set a boundary for the sea,

so that the waters would not surpass His command,

when He marked out the foundations of the earth.

30Then I was a skilled craftsman at His side,

and His delightd day by day,

rejoicing always in His presence.

31I was rejoicing in His whole world,

delighting together in the sons of men.

32Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,

for blessed are those who keep my ways.

33Listen to instruction and be wise;

do not ignore it.

34Blessed is the man who listens to me,

watching daily at my doors,

waiting at the posts of my doorway.

35For whoever finds me finds life

and obtains the favor of the LORD.

36But he who fails to find me harms himself;

all who hate me love death.”

We at Green zone ministries are getting ready to post a go fund me page for the back pack back to school program. Watch for details. Thank you.

Green Zone Minisries

Proverb 7
Warnings about the Adulteress

1My son, keep my words

and treasure my commandments within you.

2Keep my commandments and live;

guard my teachings as the applea of your eye.

3Tie them to your fingers;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”

and call understanding your kinsman,

5that they may keep you from the adulteress,

from the stranger with seductive words.

6For at the window of my house

I looked through the lattice.

7I saw among the simple,

I noticed among the youths,

a young man lacking judgment,

8crossing the street near her corner,

strolling down the road to her house,

9at twilight, as the day was fading

into the dark of the night.

10Then a woman came out to meet him,

with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.

11She is loud and defiant;

her feet do not remain at home.

12Now in the street, now in the squares,

she lurks at every corner.

13She seizes him and kisses him;

she brazenly says to him:

14“I have made my peace offerings;

today I have paid my vows.

15So I came out to meet you;

I sought you, and I have found you.

16I have decked my bed with coverings,

with colored linen from Egypt.

17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,

with aloes, and with cinnamon.

18Come, let us take our fill of love till morning.

Let us delight in loving caresses!

19For my husband is not at home;

he has gone on a long journey.

20He took with him a bag of money

and will not return till the moon is full.”

21With her great persuasion she entices him;

with her flattering lips she lures him.

22He follows her on impulse,

like an ox going to the slaughter,

like a deer bounding into a trap,b

23until an arrow pierces his liver,

like a bird darting into a snare—

not knowing it will cost him his life.

24Now, my sons, listen to me,

and attend to the words of my mouth.

25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways;

do not stray into her paths.

26For she has brought many down to death;

her slain are many in number.

27Her house is the road to Sheol,

descending to the chambers of death.

https://youtu.be/fqMMwmDcuNI

RORY'S RACEDAY

Proverb 17
Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting--and conflict.

A wise servant will rule over the master's disgraceful son and will share the inheritance of the master's children.

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart.

Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander.

Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.

Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.

Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler.

A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper!

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.

Evil people are eager for rebellion, but they will be severely punished.

It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.

If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your home.

Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out.

Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent--both are detestable to the Lord.

It is senseless to pay tuition to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning.

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.

It's poor judgment to guarantee another person's debt or put up security for a friend.

Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.

The crooked heart will not prosper; the lying tongue tumbles into trouble.

It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.

The wicked take secret bribes to pervert the course of justice.

Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.

It is wrong to punish the godly for being good or to flog leaders for being honest.

A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.

Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

Proverb 14
The Wise Woman

1Every wise woman builds her house,

but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

2He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD,

but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.

3The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back,

but the lips of the wise protect them.

4Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,

but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.

5An honest witness does not deceive,

but a dishonest witness pours forth lies.

6A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,

but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

7Stay away from a foolish man;

you will gain no knowledge from his speech.

8The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,

but the folly of fools deceives them.

9Fools mock the making of amends,

but goodwill is found among the upright.

10The heart knows its own bitterness,

and no stranger shares in its joy.

11The house of the wicked will be destroyed,

but the tent of the upright will flourish.

12There is a way that seems right to a man,

but its end is the way of death.

13Even in laughter the heart may ache,

and joy may end in sorrow.

14The backslider in heart receives the fill of his own ways,

but a good man is rewarded for his ways.

15The simple man believes every word,

but the prudent man watches his steps.

16A wise man fearsa and turns from evil,

but a fool is careless and reckless.

17A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,

and a devious man is hated.

18The simple inherit folly,

but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19The evil bow before the good,

and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20The poor man is hated even by his neighbor,

but many are those who love the rich.

21He who despises his neighbor sins,

but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor.

22Do not those who contrive evil go astray?

But those who plan goodness findb loving devotion and faithfulness.

23There is profit in all labor,

but mere talk leads only to poverty.

24The crown of the wise is their wealth,

but the effort of fools is folly.

25A truthful witness saves lives,

but one who utters lies is deceitful.

26He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence,

and his children shall have a place of refuge.

27The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,

turning a man from the snares of death.

28A large population is a king’s splendor,

but a lack of subjects is a prince’s ruin.

29A patient man has great understanding,

but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.

30A tranquil heart is life to the body,

but envy rots the bones.

31Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker,

but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.

32The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin,

but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.

33Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning;

even among fools she is known.c

34Righteousness exalts a nation,

but sin is a disgrace to any people.

35A king delights in a wise servant,

but his anger falls on the shameful.

Footnotes:

16 a Or fears the LORD

Proverb 27
Don't brag about tomorrow, since you don't know what the day will bring.

Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth--a stranger not your own lips.

A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier.

Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous.

An open rebuke is better than hidden love!

Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.

A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food taste sweet to the hungry.

A person who strays from home is like a bird that strays from its nest.

The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.

Never abandon a friend--either yours or your father's. When disaster strikes, you won't have to ask your brother for assistance. It's better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.

Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad. Then I will be able to answer my critics.

A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger's debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.

A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning will be taken as a curse!

A quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day. Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or trying to hold something with greased hands.

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

As workers who tend to a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit, so workers who protect their employer's interests will be rewarded.

As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.

Just as death and destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied.

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.

You cannot separate fools from their foolishness, even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle.

Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don't last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation. After the hay is harvested and the new crop appears and the mountain grasses are gathered in, your sheep will provide wool for clothing, and your goats will provide the price of a field. And you will have enough goats' milk for yourself, your family, and your servant girls.

Proverb 11

Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD,

but an accurate weight is His delight.

2When pride comes, disgrace follows,

but with humility comes wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright guides them,

but the perversity of the faithless destroys them.

4Riches are worthless in the day of wrath,

but righteousness brings deliverance from death.

5The righteousness of the blameless directs their path,

but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright delivers them,

but the faithless are trapped by their own desires.

7When the wicked man dies, his hope perishes,

and the hope of his strength vanishes.

8The righteous man is delivered from trouble;

in his place the wicked man goes in.

9With his mouth the ungodly man destroys his neighbor,

but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

10When the righteous thrive, the city rejoices,

and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

11By the blessing of the upright a city is built up,

but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

12Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks judgment,

but a man of understanding remains silent.

13A gossip reveals a secret,

but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

14For lack of guidance, a nation falls,

but with many counselors comes deliverance.

15He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer,

but the one who hates indebtedness is secure.

16A gracious woman attains honor,

but ruthless men gain only wealth.

17A kind man benefits himself,

but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.

18The wicked man earns an empty wage,

but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.

19Genuine righteousness leads to life,

but the pursuit of evil brings death.

20The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD,

but the blameless in their walk are His delight.

21Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished,

but the offspring of the righteous will escape.

22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout

is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

23The desire of the righteous leads only to good,

but the hope of the wicked brings wrath.

24One gives freely, yet gains even more;

another withholds what is right, only to become poor.

25A generous soul will prosper,

and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

26The people will curse the hoarder of grain,

but blessing will crown the one who sells it.

27He who searches out good finds favor,

but evil will come to him who seeks it.

28He who trusts in his riches will fall,

but the righteous will thrive like foliage.

29He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind,

and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

and he who wins souls is wise.

31If the righteous receive their due on earth,

how much more the ungodly and the sinner!a

Proverb 9
The Way of Wisdom
(Proverbs 1:1–7)

1Wisdom has built her house;

she has carved outa her seven pillars.

2She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;

she has also set her table.

3She has sent out her maidservants;

she calls out from the heights of the city.

4“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

she says to him who lacks judgment.

5“Come, eat my bread

and drink the wine I have mixed.

6Leave your folly behind, and you will live;

walk in the way of understanding.”

7He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself;

he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself.

Proverb 30
The Sayings of Agur
The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message.
I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God. I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense. I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.

Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name--and his sons name? Tell me if you know!

Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to Him for protection. Do not add to his words, or He may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.

O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. First, help me to never tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, "Who is the Lord?" And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God's holy name.

Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.

Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother. They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed. They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances. They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.

The leech has two suckers that cry out, "More, more!"

There are three things that are never satisfied--no, four that never say, "Enough!" the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire.

The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother's instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures.

There are three things that amaze me--no, four things that I don't understand: how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman.

An adulterous woman consumes a man, then wipes her mouth and says, "What's wrong with that?"

There are three things that make the earth tremble--no, four it cannot endure: a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers, a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress.

There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise: ants--they aren't strong, but they store up food all summer, Hyraxes--they aren't powerful, but they make their home among the rocks. Locusts--they have no king, but they march in formation. Lizards--they are easy to catch, but they are found even in king's palaces.

There are three things that walk with stately stride--no, four things that strut about: the lion, king of animals, who won't turn aside for anything, the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army.

If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil, cover your mouth in shame.

As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels.

Proverb 17
Better a Dry Morsel in Quietness

1Better a dry morsel in quietness

than a house full of feastinga with strife.

2A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son

and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.

3A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold,

but the LORD is the tester of hearts.

4A wicked man listens to evil lips;

a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.

5He who mocks the poor insults their Maker;

whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.

6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,

and the glory of a son is his father.

7Eloquent words are unfit for a fool;

how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!

8A bribe is a charm to its giver;

wherever he turns, he succeeds.

9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,

but he who brings it up separates friends.

10A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment

deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.

11An evil man seeks only rebellion;

a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs

than a fool in his folly.

13If anyone returns evil for good,

evil will never leave his house.

14To start a quarrel is to release a flood;

so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.

15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—

both are detestable to the LORD.

16Why should the fool have money in his hand

with no intention of buying wisdom?

17A friend loves at all times,

and a brother is born for adversity.

18A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge

and puts up security for his neighbor.

19He who loves transgression loves strife;

he who builds his gate high invites destruction.

20The one with a perverse heart finds no good,

and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.

21A man fathers a fool to his own grief;

the father of a fool has no joy.

22A joyful heart is good medicine,

but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

23A wicked man takes a covert bribeb

to subvert the course of justice.

24Wisdom is the focus of the discerning,

but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.

25A foolish son brings grief to his father

and bitterness to her who bore him.

26It is surely not good to punish the innocent

or to flog a noble for his honesty.

27A man of knowledge restrains his words,

and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.

28Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent,

and discerning when he holds his tongue.