(A)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

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Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
    but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

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22 “How long, you (A)naive ones, will you love simplistic thinking?
And how long will (B)scoffers delight themselves in scoffing
And fools (C)hate knowledge?

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22 “How long, you simpletons,
    will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
    How long will you fools hate knowledge?

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32 For the (A)faithlessness of the naive will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.

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32 For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
    Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.

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You (A)naive ones, understand prudence;
And, you (B)fools, understand [a]wisdom!

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:5 Lit heart

You simple people, use good judgment.
    You foolish people, show some understanding.

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13 [a]A woman of foolishness is (A)boisterous,
She has a lack of understanding and (B)knows nothing.
14 She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by (C)the high places of the city,
15 Calling to those who pass by,
Who are going straight on their paths:
16 (D)Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,”
And to him who lacks [b]understanding she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
And (E)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the [c]dead are there,
That her guests are in the (F)depths of Sheol.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:13 Or A foolish woman
  2. Proverbs 9:16 Lit heart
  3. Proverbs 9:18 Lit departed spirits

Folly Calls for a Hearing

13 The woman named Folly is brash.
    She is ignorant and doesn’t know it.
14 She sits in her doorway
    on the heights overlooking the city.
15 She calls out to men going by
    who are minding their own business.
16 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.
    To those who lack good judgment, she says,
17 “Stolen water is refreshing;
    food eaten in secret tastes the best!”
18 But little do they know that the dead are there.
    Her guests are in the depths of the grave.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 9:18 Hebrew in Sheol.

The (A)wise of heart will receive commands,
But [a]a babbling fool will come to ruin.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:8 Lit the foolish of lips

The wise are glad to be instructed,
    but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.

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18 One (A)who conceals hatred has lying lips,
And one who spreads slander is a fool.

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18 Hiding hatred makes you a liar;
    slandering others makes you a fool.

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23 Doing wickedness is like (A)sport to a fool,
And so is wisdom to a person of understanding.

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23 Doing wrong is fun for a fool,
    but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible.

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29 One who (A)troubles his own house will (B)inherit wind,
And (C)the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.

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29 Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind.
    The fool will be a servant to the wise.

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15 The (A)way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a person who listens to advice is wise.
16 A (B)fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent person conceals dishonor.

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15 Fools think their own way is right,
    but the wise listen to others.

16 A fool is quick-tempered,
    but a wise person stays calm when insulted.

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23 A (A)prudent person conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.

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23 The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge,
    but fools broadcast their foolishness.

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16 Every (A)prudent person acts with knowledge,
But a fool [a]displays foolishness.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:16 Lit spreads out

16 Wise people think before they act;
    fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.

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