11 A rebellious person seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

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11 Evil people are eager for rebellion,
    but they will be severely punished.

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19 One who (A)loves wrongdoing loves strife;
One who (B)makes his doorway high seeks destruction.
20 One who has a crooked [a]mind (C)finds nothing good,
And one who is [b](D)corrupted in his language falls into evil.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:20 Lit heart
  2. Proverbs 17:20 Lit altered in his tongue

19 Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin;
    anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.

20 The crooked heart will not prosper;
    the lying tongue tumbles into trouble.

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24 Wisdom is in the presence of one who has understanding,
But the (A)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

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24 Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom,
    but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

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Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

18 One who separates himself seeks his own desire;
He [a](A)quarrels against all sound wisdom.
A fool does not delight in understanding,
But (B)in revealing his own [b]mind.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:1 Lit breaks out
  2. Proverbs 18:2 Lit heart

18 Unfriendly people care only about themselves;
    they lash out at common sense.

Fools have no interest in understanding;
    they only want to air their own opinions.

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14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.

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14 The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,”
    then brags about getting a bargain!

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29 A wicked person [a](A)displays a bold face,
But as for the (B)upright, he makes his way sure.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:29 Lit makes firm with his face

29 The wicked bluff their way through,
    but the virtuous think before they act.

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10 (A)Drive out the scoffer, and strife will leave,
Even quarreling and dishonor will cease.

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10 Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too.
    Quarrels and insults will disappear.

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One who (A)sows injustice will reap disaster,
And the (B)rod of his fury will perish.

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Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster,
    and their reign of terror will come to an end.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 22:8 The Greek version includes an additional proverb: God blesses a man who gives cheerfully, / but his worthless deeds will come to an end. Compare 2 Cor 9:7.

26 Do not be among those who (A)shake hands,
Among those who become guarantors for debts.

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26 Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt
    or put up security for someone else.

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On Life and Conduct

23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
Consider carefully [a]what is before you,
And put a knife to your throat
If you are a (A)person of great appetite.
Do not (B)desire his delicacies,
For it is deceptive food.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:1 Or who

23 While dining with a ruler,
    pay attention to what is put before you.
If you are a big eater,
    put a knife to your throat;
don’t desire all the delicacies,
    for he might be trying to trick you.

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(A)Do not eat the bread of [a]a (B)selfish person;
Or desire his delicacies;
For as he [b]thinks within himself, so he is.
He says to you, “Eat and drink!”
But (C)his heart is not with you.
You will (D)vomit up [c]the morsel you have eaten
And waste your [d]compliments.

(E)Do not speak [e]to be heard by a fool,
For he will (F)despise the wisdom of your words.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:6 Lit an evil eye
  2. Proverbs 23:7 Lit reckons in his soul
  3. Proverbs 23:8 Lit your
  4. Proverbs 23:8 Lit pleasant words
  5. Proverbs 23:9 Lit in the ears of a

Don’t eat with people who are stingy;
    don’t desire their delicacies.
They are always thinking about how much it costs.[a]
    “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.
You will throw up what little you’ve eaten,
    and your compliments will be wasted.

Don’t waste your breath on fools,
    for they will despise the wisest advice.

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Footnotes

  1. 23:7 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.

One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Chops off his own feet and drinks violence.

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Trusting a fool to convey a message
    is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!

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10 [a]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is one who hires a fool or hires those who pass by.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:10 Or A master workman produces all things, But one who hires a fool is like one who hires those who pass by

10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander
    is like an archer who shoots at random.

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