¹² Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention.

⁵ Let the upright give me punishment; and let the god-fearing man put me in the right way; but I will not let the oil of sinners come on my head: when they do evil I will give myself to prayer.

³¹ Then you will have no cause for grief, and my lord's heart will not be troubled because you have taken life without cause and have yourself given punishment for your wrongs: and when the Lord has been good to you, then give a thought to your servant.

³² And David said to Abigail, May the Lord, the God of Israel, be praised, who sent you to me today:

³³ A blessing on your good sense and on you, who have kept me today from the crime of blood and from taking into my hands the punishment for my wrongs.

³⁴ For truly, by the living Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept me from doing you evil, if you had not been so quick in coming to me and meeting me, by dawn there would not have been in Nabal's house so much as one male living.

¹¹ And all his brothers and sisters, and his friends of earlier days, came and took food with him in his house; and made clear their grief for him, and gave him comfort for all the evil which the Lord had sent on him; and they all gave him a bit of money and a gold ring.

⁸ My son, give ear to the training of your father, and do not give up the teaching of your mother:

⁹ For they will be a crown of grace for your head, and chain-ornaments about your neck.

⁸ Do not say sharp words to a man of pride, or he will have hate for you; make them clear to a wise man, and you will be dear to him.

⁵ A foolish man puts no value on his father's training; but he who has respect for teaching has good sense.

³¹ The man whose ear is open to the teaching of life will have his place among the wise.

³² He who will not be controlled by training has no respect for his soul, but he who gives ear to teaching will get wisdom.

¹² The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work.

⁵ Better is open protest than love kept secret.

⁶ The wounds of a friend are given in good faith, but the kisses of a hater are false.