14 A secret gift calms anger;a bribe under the table pacifies fury.
15 Justice is a joy to the godly,but it terrifies evildoers.
16 The person who strays from common sensewill end up in the company of the dead.
17 Those who love pleasure become poor;those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.
18 The wicked are punished in place of the godly,and traitors in place of the honest.
19 It’s better to live alone in the desertthan with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.
20 The wise have wealth and luxury,but fools spend whatever they get.