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11 An evil person will seek only rebellion,
    and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

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

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19 He who loves transgression loves strife;
    he who builds his high thresholds seeks destruction.
20 He who is crooked of heart[a] will not find goodness,
    and he who is perverse, by his tongue he will fall into calamity.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:20 Or “mind”

19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
    whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.

20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
    one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.

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24 He who understands sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool, to the end of the earth.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:24 Or “land”

24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
    but a fool’s eyes(A) wander to the ends of the earth.

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18 He who is selfish seeks a craving;[a]
    against all sound judgment he shows contempt.
A fool will not take pleasure in understanding,
    but in expressing his heart.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:1 Or “boundary”
  2. Proverbs 18:2 Or “mind”

18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
    and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.

Fools find no pleasure in understanding
    but delight in airing their own opinions.(A)

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14 “Bad, bad,” the buyer will say,
    but when one goes to him, then he will boast.

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14 “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—
    then goes off and boasts about the purchase.

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29 A wicked man is strong in his countenance,[a]
    but the upright will appoint his paths.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:29 Literally “his face”

29 The wicked put up a bold front,
    but the upright give thought to their ways.(A)

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10 Drive out a scoffer and strife will go out;
    quarrel and abuse will cease.

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10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
    quarrels and insults are ended.(A)

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He who sows injustice will reap calamity,
    and the rod of his anger will fail.

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Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,(A)
    and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.(B)

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26 Do not be with those who give a pledge[a]
    by becoming[b] surety.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:26 Literally “strike a hand”
  2. Proverbs 22:26 Literally “in the becomings of”

Saying 4

26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(A)
    or puts up security for debts;

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23 When you sit to eat with a ruler,
    you shall surely observe what is before you,
and you shall put a knife to your throat
    if you have a big appetite.[a]
Do not desire his delicacies,
    for[b] it is food of deception.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:2 Literally “lord/master of life”
  2. Proverbs 23:3 Hebrew “and”

Saying 7

23 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
    note well what[a] is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to gluttony.
Do not crave his delicacies,(A)
    for that food is deceptive.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:1 Or who

Do not eat the bread of the stingy,[a]
    and do not desire his delicacies.
For, like hair in his throat,[b] so it is.[c]
    “Eat and drink!” he will say to you,
    but his heart will not be with you.
Your morsel you have eaten, you will vomit it up,
    and you will waste your pleasant words.
In the ears of a fool do not speak,
    for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:6 Literally “stingy of eye”
  2. Proverbs 23:7 Literally “soul,” or “inner self”
  3. Proverbs 23:7 Or “is he”

Saying 9

Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
    do not crave his delicacies;(A)
for he is the kind of person
    who is always thinking about the cost.[a]
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten
    and will have wasted your compliments.

Saying 10

Do not speak to fools,
    for they will scorn your prudent words.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is

Like cutting off feet or drinking violence,
    so is he who sends messages in the hand of a fool.

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Sending a message by the hands of a fool(A)
    is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.

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