18
Small stones on top of a wall will not stay put when the wind blows, and a person whose stupid ideas have made him timid will not be able to stand up to frightening situations.
16
A wooden beam can be put into a building so firmly that an earthquake cannot shake it loose; a person can be trained to use reason and good sense so well that he keeps his head when a crisis comes.
17
A mind that thinks things through intelligently is like a firm wall, finely decorated.
18
Small stones on top of a wall will not stay put when the wind blows, and a person whose stupid ideas have made him timid will not be able to stand up to frightening situations.
19
If you stick something in your eye, tears will flow; and if you hurt a person deeply, you will discover his true feelings.
20
If you throw rocks at birds, you will scare them away; and if you insult a friend, you will break up the friendship.
Footnotes 1
[a].
Small . . . wall; [some manuscripts have] A fence on top of a hill.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.