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The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence];
But arrogant [a]fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:7 In Proverbs various kinds of fools are discussed including those who are closed-minded, over-confident, and reject instruction and correction—the unteachable; those who lack spiritual insight—the spiritually blind; and those who are flippant, hardened, and who deliberately choose to reject God and wisdom—the arrogant.

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

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The fear of the Lord(A) is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools[a] despise wisdom(B) and instruction.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.

22 
“How long, O naive ones [you who are easily misled], will you love being simple-minded and undiscerning?
How long will scoffers [who ridicule and deride] delight in scoffing,
How long will fools [who obstinately mock truth] hate knowledge?

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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 will you who are simple(A) love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate(B) knowledge?

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32 
“For the turning away of the [a]naive will kill them,
And the careless ease of [self-righteous] fools will destroy them.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:32 Lit simple ones.

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 the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(A)

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“O you naive or inexperienced [who are easily misled], understand prudence and seek astute common sense;
And, O you [closed-minded, self-confident] fools, understand wisdom [seek the insight and self-discipline that leads to godly living].(A)

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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 who are simple,(A) gain prudence;(B)
    you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds

13 
The foolish woman is restless and noisy;
She is naive and easily misled and thoughtless, and knows nothing at all [of eternal value].
14 
She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by the high and conspicuous places of the city,
15 
Calling to those who pass by,
Who are making their paths straight:
16 
“Whoever is naive or inexperienced, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks understanding (common sense), she says,
17 
“Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet [because they are forbidden];
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”(A)
18 
But he does not know that the spirits of the dead are there,
And that her guests are [already] in the depths of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead).

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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

13 Folly is an unruly woman;(A)
    she is simple and knows nothing.(B)
14 She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the highest point of the city,(C)
15 calling out(D) to those who pass by,
    who go straight on their way,
16     “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(E) she says,
17     “Stolen water is sweet;
    food eaten in secret is delicious!(F)
18 But little do they know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.(G)

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The wise in heart [are willing to learn so they] will accept and obey commands (instruction),
But the babbling fool [who is arrogant and thinks himself wise] will come to ruin.

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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 in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.(A)

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18 
He who hides hatred has lying lips,
And he who spreads slander is a fool.(A)

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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 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips(A)
    and spreads slander is a fool.

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23 
Engaging in evil is like sport to the fool [who refuses wisdom and chases sin],
But to a man of understanding [skillful and godly] wisdom brings joy.

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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 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,(A)
    but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

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29 
He who troubles (mismanages) his own house will inherit the wind (nothing),
And the foolish will be a servant to the wise-hearted.

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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 Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise.(A)

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