With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor,
but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

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By what he says, the godless person can destroy his neighbor,
    but through knowledge the righteous escape.

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With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
    but through knowledge the righteous escape.(A)

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The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,(A)
but the speech of the upright rescues them.(B)

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The words of the wicked lead to[a] bloodshed,
    but the speech of the upright delivers them.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:6 Lit. wicked lie in wait for

The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
    but the speech of the upright rescues them.(A)

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27 A worthless man digs up evil,
and his speech is like a scorching fire.(A)

28 A contrary man spreads conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.(B)

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27 A worthless person concocts evil gossip[a]
    his lips are like a burning fire.

28 A deceitful man stirs dissension,
    and anyone who gossips separates friends.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:27 The Heb. lacks gossip

27 A scoundrel(A) plots evil,
    and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.(B)

28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,(C)
    and a gossip separates close friends.(D)

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The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,(A)
and one who rejoices over calamity
will not go unpunished.(B)

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Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their maker,
    and whoever is happy about disaster
        will not go unpunished.

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Whoever mocks the poor(A) shows contempt for their Maker;(B)
    whoever gloats over disaster(C) will not go unpunished.(D)

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Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,(A)
but whoever gossips about it separates friends.(B)

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Anyone who overlooks[a] an offense promotes love,
    but someone who gossips separates close friends.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:9 Lit. covers

Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(A)
    but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(B)

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A fool’s lips lead to strife,
and his mouth provokes a beating.(A)

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A fool’s words[a] bring strife,
    and his mouth invites fighting.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:6 Lit. lips

The lips of fools bring them strife,
    and their mouths invite a beating.(A)

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A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:8 Lit to the chambers of the belly

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels
    as they descend to the innermost parts of the body.

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The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.(A)

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19 Better a poor man who lives with integrity(A)
than someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool.

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The Priorities of Life Contrasted

19 A poor man who walks blamelessly is better
than a fool who speaks perversely.

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19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than a fool whose lips are perverse.(A)

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19 The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip;(A)
avoid someone with a big mouth.(B)

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19 Whoever spreads gossip betrays confidences;
    so don’t get involved with someone who talks too much.

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19 A gossip betrays a confidence;(A)
    so avoid anyone who talks too much.

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