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

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.(A)

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20 What the righteous person says[a] is like precious silver;
    the thoughts of the wicked are compared to small things.
21 What the righteous person says[b] nourishes many,
    but fools die because they lack discerning[c] hearts.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:20 Lit. The tongue of the righteous
  2. Proverbs 10:21 Lit. The lips of the righteous
  3. Proverbs 10:21 The Heb. lacks discerning

31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,(A)
    but a perverse tongue(B) will be silenced.

32 The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,(C)
    but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.(D)

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31 The words of the righteous overflow with wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut out.
32 Righteous lips know what is prudent,
    but the words of the wicked are perverse.

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11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,(A)
    but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.(B)

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11 Through the blessing of the righteous a city is built up,
    but what the wicked say tears it down.

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13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,(A)
    and so the innocent escape trouble.(B)

14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,(C)
    and the work of their hands brings them reward.(D)

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13 An evil man’s sinful speech ensnares him,
    but the righteous person escapes from trouble.

14 By his fruitful speech a man can remain satisfied,
    and a man’s handiwork will reward him.

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From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,(A)
    but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.

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From the fruit of his words a man receives benefit,[a]
    but the treacherous crave violence.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:2 Lit. man eats good things

28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,(A)
    but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.(B)

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28 The mind of the righteous thinks before speaking,
    but the wicked person spews out evil.

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

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Whoever practices evil pays attention to wicked speech,
    and the liar listens to malicious talk.

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