23 The heart of a wise person instructs his mouth;
it adds learning to his speech.[a](A)

24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb:(B)
sweet to the taste[b] and health to the body.[c](C)

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Footnotes

  1. 16:23 Lit learning upon his lips
  2. 16:24 Lit throat
  3. 16:24 Lit bones

23 The heart[a] of the wise will make his mouth judicious,
    and upon his lips, it[b] will add persuasiveness.
24 Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and healing to the bones.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:23 Or “mind”
  2. Proverbs 16:23 Or “he”

23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,(A)
    and their lips promote instruction.[a](B)

24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,(C)
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive

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

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27 A man of wickedness concocts evil,
    and his lips are like a scorching fire.

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

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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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He who mocks the poor insults him who made him;
    he who rejoices at calamity 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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Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;
how much worse are lies for a ruler.

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Fine speech[a] is not becoming a fool,
    still less[b] is false speech[c] for a ruler.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:7 Literally “A lip of fineness
  2. Proverbs 17:7 Literally “only for”
  3. Proverbs 17:7 Literally “lip of deceit”

Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
    how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(A)

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

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He who forgives an affront fosters love,
    but he who waits on a matter will alienate a friend.

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

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27 The one who has knowledge restrains his words,(A)
and one who keeps a cool head[a]
is a person of understanding.

28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent—
discerning, when he seals his lips.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 17:27 Lit spirit

27 He who spares his sayings knows knowledge,
    and a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent shall be considered wise;[a]
    he who closes his lips is intelligent.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:28 Literally “wise, he shall be considered”

27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,(A)
    and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.(B)

28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
    and discerning if they hold their tongues.(C)

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The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters,(A)
a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 18:4 Or waters; a fountain of wisdom is a flowing river

Deep waters are words of the mouth of a man;
    a gushing stream is a fountain of wisdom.

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The words of the mouth are deep waters,(A)
    but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.

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13 The one who gives an answer before he listens—
this is foolishness and disgrace for him.(A)

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13 He who returns a word before he will hear,
    folly itself belongs to him as well as[a] shame.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:13 Hebrew “and”

13 To answer before listening—
    that is folly and shame.(A)

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17 The first to state his case seems right
until another comes and cross-examines him.(A)

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17 The first in his dispute is deemed righteous,
    but his neighbor will come and examine him.

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17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
    until someone comes forward and cross-examines.

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