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18 ·Unfriendly [Antisocial; Lonely] people ·are selfish [L seek their own longings/desires]
and ·hate [L break out against] all good sense.

Fools do not ·want to understand anything [L delight in understanding].
They only want to ·tell others what they think [L reveal/disclose their heart].

Do something evil, and people won’t like you.
Do something shameful, and they will ·make fun of [insult] you.

·Spoken words [L The words of a person’s mouth] can be like deep water,
·but [or and] the fountain of wisdom is like a flowing stream.

It is not good to ·honor [or show favor to] the wicked
or to be unfair to the innocent.

The ·words [L lips] of fools ·start quarrels [or make accusations].
·They make people want to beat them [L Their mouth invites a beating].

The ·words [L mouth] of fools will ruin them;
their own ·words [L lips] will trap them.

The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food.
·People like to gobble them up [L They go down to one’s inmost parts].

A person who doesn’t work hard
is ·just like someone who destroys things [L a brother to a destroyer].

10 The name of the Lord is like a strong tower;
·those who do right [the righteous] can run to him for ·safety [refuge].

11 Rich people trust their wealth like a strong city.
They think it is like the high walls.

12 Proud people will be ruined,
but ·the humble will be honored [humility comes before glory].

13 Anyone who answers without listening
is foolish and ·confused [or a disgrace].

14 The ·will to live [L human spirit] can get you through sickness,
but ·no one can live with [L who can bear…?] a broken spirit.

15 The ·mind [heart] of a person with understanding gets knowledge;
the ·wise person listens to learn more [L ear of the wise seeks knowledge].

16 Taking gifts to important people
will help get you in to see them.

17 The person who ·tells one side of [first tells] a story seems right,
until ·someone else [his friend/neighbor] comes and asks questions.

18 Throwing lots can settle arguments
and ·keep the two sides from fighting [is decisive against powerful people].

19 A brother who has been ·insulted [offended] is harder to win back than a walled city,
and arguments separate people like the barred gates of a palace.

20 ·People will be rewarded for what they say [L From the fruit of the mouth of a person is their stomach satisfied];
·they will be rewarded by how they speak [L the yield/gain of their lips satisfies].

21 ·What you say can mean [L In the power of the tongue are] life or death.
Those who ·speak with care [love it] will ·be rewarded [L eat its fruit].

22 When a man finds a wife, he finds something good.
It shows that the Lord ·is pleased with [favors] him.

23 The poor beg for mercy,
but the rich give ·rude [harsh] answers.

24 Some friends may ruin you,
but a real friend will ·be more loyal [cling closer] than a brother.

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