11 Discretion will protect you,
    and understanding will guard you.(A)

12 Wisdom will save(B) you from the ways of wicked men,
    from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
    to walk in dark ways,(C)
14 who delight in doing wrong
    and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,(D)
15 whose paths are crooked(E)
    and who are devious in their ways.(F)

16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,(G)
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
    and ignored the covenant she made before God.[a](H)
18 Surely her house leads down to death
    and her paths to the spirits of the dead.(I)
19 None who go to her return
    or attain the paths of life.(J)

20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,(K)
    and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked(L) will be cut off from the land,(M)
    and the unfaithful will be torn from it.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:17 Or covenant of her God

11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;

15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:

16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

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31 Do not envy(A) the violent
    or choose any of their ways.

32 For the Lord detests the perverse(B)
    but takes the upright into his confidence.(C)

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31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

32 For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.

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12 A troublemaker and a villain,
    who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13     who winks maliciously with his eye,(A)
    signals with his feet
    and motions with his fingers,(B)
14     who plots evil(C) with deceit in his heart—
    he always stirs up conflict.(D)
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;(E)
    he will suddenly(F) be destroyed—without remedy.(G)

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12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

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Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:6 Or righteous, / but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence

Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

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11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,(A)
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(B)

12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
    but love covers over all wrongs.(C)

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,(D)
    but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.(E)

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11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

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18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips(A)
    and spreads slander is a fool.

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18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

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13 A gossip betrays a confidence,(A)
    but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.(B)

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13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

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15 The way of fools seems right to them,(A)
    but the wise listen to advice.(B)

16 Fools(C) show their annoyance at once,(D)
    but the prudent overlook an insult.(E)

17 An honest witness tells the truth,
    but a false witness tells lies.(F)

18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,(G)
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.(H)

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15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

16 A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.

17 He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.

18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

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16 All who are prudent act with[a] knowledge,
    but fools expose(A) their folly.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:16 Or prudent protect themselves through

16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.

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

28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,(C)
    and a gossip separates close friends.(D)

29 A violent person entices their neighbor
    and leads them down a path that is not good.(E)

30 Whoever winks(F) with their eye is plotting perversity;
    whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.

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27 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.

30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.

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

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A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

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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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He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

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