10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and (A)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

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10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
    more than a hundred lashes a fool.

11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
    the messenger of death will be sent against them.

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20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom in (A)the future.

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20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,(A)
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.(B)

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27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
    (A)and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

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27 Stop listening to instruction, my son,(A)
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

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The terror of a king is like (A)the growling of a lion;
    whoever provokes him to anger (B)forfeits his life.

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A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;(A)
    those who anger him forfeit their lives.(B)

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Many a man (A)proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but (B)a faithful man who can find?

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Many claim to have unfailing love,
    but a faithful person who can find?(A)

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(A)A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    (B)winnows all evil with his eyes.

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When a king sits on his throne to judge,(A)
    he winnows out all evil with his eyes.(B)

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11 Even a child (A)makes himself known by his acts,
    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:11 Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright

11 Even small children are known by their actions,
    so is their conduct really pure(A) and upright?

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30 (A)Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
    strokes make clean (B)the innermost parts.

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30 Blows and wounds scrub(A) away evil,
    and beatings(B) purge the inmost being.

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21 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
    he (A)turns it wherever he will.

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21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
    that he channels toward all who please him.(A)

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11 He who (A)loves purity of heart,
    and whose (B)speech is gracious, (C)will have the king as his friend.

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11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
    will have the king for a friend.(A)

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It is the glory of God to (A)conceal things,
    but the glory of kings is to (B)search things out.
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
    so the heart of kings is (C)unsearchable.
Take away (D)the dross from the silver,
    and (E)the smith has material for a vessel;
take away (F)the wicked from the presence of the king,
    and his (G)throne will be established in righteousness.
Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence
    or stand in the place of the great,
for (H)it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
    than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

What your eyes have seen

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It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
    to search out a matter is the glory of kings.(A)
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
    so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

Remove the dross from the silver,
    and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,(B)
    and his throne will be established(C) through righteousness.(D)

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
    and do not claim a place among his great men;
it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”(E)
    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

What you have seen with your eyes

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18 (A)Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and he who (B)guards his master will be honored.

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18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,(A)
    and whoever protects their master will be honored.(B)

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