1 Those who separate themselves from other people think only about those things that they are interested in;

if they would continually associate with those who have good judgment/sense, they would constantly disagree/quarrel with them.

2 Foolish people do not want to understand anything;

they only want to ◄express their own opinions/say what they think► [IDM].

3 Whenever people do wicked things, others will despise them;

when people do things that cause themselves to no longer be honored, they will be disgraced also.

4 What wise people say is like a deep ocean that you can never get to the bottom of [MET],

and it refreshes us like water from a rapidly flowing stream.

5 It is not good for a judge to decide matters in favor of those who ◄are guilty/have done wicked things►

and to not do what is just for those who ◄are innocent/have not done what is wrong►.

6 When foolish people [SYN] start arguments,

it is as though they [SYN] are requesting/inviting someone to flog/whip them.

7 What foolish people [MTY] say causes them to be ruined;

their own words are like a trap [MET] that catches/seizes them.

8 People enjoy listening to what gossips say like [SIM] they enjoy tasty food;

they accept what gossips tell them like [MET] they swallow tasty food.

9 People who are lazy while they work

are just as bad as [IDM] those who destroy things.

10 Yahweh [MTY] is like a strong tower [MET];

righteous people can go to him and be safe like they can run to a tower to be safe.

11 Rich people are protected because they have a lot of money [PRS]

like a city is protected because it has a high wall surrounding it [SIM].

12 Proud people are on the road to being ruined,

but being humble leads to being honored.

13 Those who reply to someone before that person has finished speaking are foolish;

doing that is disgraceful.

14 A desire to continue to live can sustain someone when he is sick;

if he loses that desire, he ◄cannot endure it/will become very discouraged► when he is sick [RHQ].