20 My son, (A)pay attention to my words;
(B)Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (C)They are not to escape from your sight;
(D)Keep them in the midst of your heart.

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20 My son,(A) pay attention to what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.(B)
21 Do not let them out of your sight,(C)
    keep them within your heart;

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23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For (A)from it flow the springs of life.

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23 Above all else, guard(A) your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.(B)

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20 The tongue of the righteous is like (A)choice silver,
The heart of the wicked is worth little.

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20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
    but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

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20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.

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20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
    but those who promote peace have joy.(A)

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13 A (A)joyful heart makes a [a]cheerful face,
But [b]when the heart is (B)sad, the (C)spirit is broken.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:13 Lit good
  2. Proverbs 15:13 Lit in sadness of heart

13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful,(A)
    but heartache crushes the spirit.(B)

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15 All the days of the [a]needy are bad,
But a [b]cheerful heart has a continual feast.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:15 Or wretched
  2. Proverbs 15:15 Lit good

15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
    but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.(A)

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30 [a]Bright eyes gladden the heart;
Good news [b]refreshes the bones.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:30 Lit The light of the eyes gladdens
  2. Proverbs 15:30 Lit makes fat

30 Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,
    and good news gives health to the bones.(A)

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Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

16 The (A)plans of the heart belong to a person,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight,
But the (B)Lord examines the [a]motives.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:2 Lit spirits

16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
    but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.(A)

All a person’s ways seem pure to them,(B)
    but motives are weighed(C) by the Lord.(D)

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Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
[a]Be assured, he will not go unpunished.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:5 Lit Hand to hand, he

The Lord detests all the proud of heart.(A)
    Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.(B)

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21 The (A)wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of [a]speech (B)increases [b]persuasiveness.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,
But the discipline of fools is foolishness.
23 The (C)heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds [c]persuasiveness to his lips.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:21 Lit lips
  2. Proverbs 16:21 Or learning
  3. Proverbs 16:23 Or learning

21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
    and gracious words promote instruction.[a](A)

22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(B)
    but folly brings punishment to fools.

23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,(C)
    and their lips promote instruction.[b](D)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
  2. Proverbs 16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive

The (A)refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But (B)the Lord tests hearts.

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The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,(A)
    but the Lord tests the heart.(B)

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22 A (A)joyful heart [a]is good medicine,
But a broken spirit (B)dries up the bones.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:22 Lit causes good healing

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed(A) spirit dries up the bones.(B)

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12 (A)Before destruction the heart of a person is haughty,
But (B)humility goes before honor.

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12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
    but humility comes before honor.(A)

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