An (A)evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A [a]liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:4 Lit falsehood

Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip;
    liars pay close attention to slander.

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A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
    a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

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20 One who has a crooked [a]mind (A)finds nothing good,
And one who is [b](B)corrupted in his language falls into evil.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:20 Lit heart
  2. Proverbs 17:20 Lit altered in his tongue

20 The crooked heart will not prosper;
    the lying tongue tumbles into trouble.

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

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On Life and Conduct

19 (A)Better is a poor person who (B)walks in his integrity
Than a person who is perverse in [a]speech and is a fool.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:1 Lit his lips

19 Better to be poor and honest
    than to be dishonest and a fool.

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

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18 Like a maniac who shoots
(A)Flaming arrows, arrows, and death,
19 So is a person who (B)deceives his neighbor,
And says, “(C)Was I not joking?”

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18 Just as damaging
    as a madman shooting a deadly weapon
19 is someone who lies to a friend
    and then says, “I was only joking.”

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18 Like a maniac shooting
    flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbor
    and says, “I was only joking!”

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28 A lying tongue hates [a]those it crushes,
And a (A)flattering mouth works ruin.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:28 Lit its crushed ones

28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
    and flattering words cause ruin.

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28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
    and a flattering mouth(A) works ruin.

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