“Fine speech is not becoming to a fool.
Still less is false speech becoming to a ruler.
A bribe is like a magic stone
In the eyes of those who gives it.
Wherever they turn,
They prosper.
Whoever forgives an affront
Fosters friendship.
But whoever dwells on disputes
Will alienate a friend.
A rebuke goes deeper into a discerning person
Than a hundred blows into a fool.”
Fools do not have fine speech. Rulers should not lie. A bribe is a like a magic stone for the one who gives bribes. Things seem to happen for them magically, as they prosper. If you forgive someone who has offended you, you are actually fostering friendship. However, if you dwell on disputes, you will alienate a friend. You can criticize a discerning person with some reward, but it would be foolish to try to change a fool with a 100 blows or lashes.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 