11 He who (A)loves purity of heart,
    and whose (B)speech is gracious, (C)will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he (D)overthrows the words of the traitor.
13 (E)The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
    I shall be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of (F)forbidden[a] women is (G)a deep pit;
    (H)he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but (I)the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
    or gives to the rich, (J)will only come to poverty.

Words of the Wise

17 (K)Incline your ear, and hear (L)the words of the wise,
    (M)and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
    if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
    I have made them known to you today, even to you.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:14 Hebrew strange

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

12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

13 The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!(B)
    I’ll be killed in the public square!”

14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;(C)
    a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.(D)

15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.(E)

16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
    and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

Thirty Sayings of the Wise

Saying 1

17 Pay attention(F) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(G)
    apply your heart to what I teach,(H)
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
    and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
    I teach you today, even you.

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