(From Eugene Peterson’s brilliant new translation of the Bible, The Message):

Don’t bother talking sense to fools; They’ll only poke fun at your words.

It’s better to be wise than strong; Intelligence outranks muscle any day.

Wise conversation is way over the head of fools; in a serious discussion they haven’t a clue.

If you fall to pieces in a crisis there wasn’t much to you in the first place.

Rescue the perishing; don’t hesitate to step in and help. If you say “Hey, that’s none of my business,” will that get you off the hook?

No matter how many times you trip them up God-loyal people don’t stay down long; Soon they’re up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces.

It’s wrong, very wrong, to go along with injustice.

Don’t jump to conclusions – there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw.

When you find a friend, don’t outwear your welcome; show up at all hours and he’ll soon get fed up.

If you see your enemy hungry, go buy him lunch; if he’s thirsty give him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness, and God will look after you.

Better to live in a tumbledown shack than share a mansion with a nagging spouse.