With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor,
but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

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The godless destroy their neighbors by their words,
    but the righteous are saved by their knowledge.

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The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,(A)
but the speech of the upright rescues them.(B)

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The words of the wicked are a deathtrap,
    but the speech of those who do right rescues them.

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27 A worthless man digs up evil,
and his speech is like a scorching fire.(A)

28 A contrary man spreads conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.(B)

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27 Worthless people dig up trouble;
    their lips are like a scorching fire.
28 Destructive people produce conflict;
    gossips alienate close friends.

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The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,(A)
and one who rejoices over calamity
will not go unpunished.(B)

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Those who mock the poor insult their maker;
    those who rejoice in disaster won’t go unpunished.

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Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,(A)
but whoever gossips about it separates friends.(B)

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One who seeks love conceals an offense,
    but one who repeats it divides friends.

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A fool’s lips lead to strife,
and his mouth provokes a beating.(A)

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The lips of fools make accusations;
    their mouths elicit beatings.

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A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:8 Lit to the chambers of the belly

The words of gossips are like choice snacks;
    they go down to the inmost parts.

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19 Better a poor man who lives with integrity(A)
than someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool.

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19 Better to be poor and walk in innocence
    than to have dishonest lips and be a fool.

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19 The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip;(A)
avoid someone with a big mouth.(B)

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19 Gossips reveal secrets;
    don’t associate with those who talk too much.

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10 Drive out a mocker,(A) and conflict goes too;
then quarreling and dishonor will cease.(B)

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10 Remove the mocker and conflict disappears;
    judgment and shame also stop.

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Make your case with your opponent[a]
without revealing another’s secret;(A)
10 otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you,
and you’ll never live it down.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:9 Or neighbor
  2. Proverbs 25:10 Lit and your evil report will not turn back

Argue it out with your neighbor,
    and don’t give away someone’s secret.
10 Otherwise, the one who hears it will vilify you;
    the slander against you will never stop.

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23 The north wind produces rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.

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23 The north wind stirs up rain,
    and a person who plots quietly provokes angry faces.

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20 Without wood, fire goes out;
without a gossip, conflict dies down.(A)
21 As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.(B)
22 A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.[a](C)

23 Smooth[b] lips with an evil heart
are like glaze on an earthen vessel.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:22 Lit to the chambers of the belly
  2. Proverbs 26:23 LXX; MT reads Burning

20 Without wood a fire goes out;
    without gossips, conflict calms down.
21 Like adding charcoal to embers or wood to fire,
    quarrelsome people kindle strife.
22 The words of gossips are like choice snacks;
    they go down to the inmost parts.
23 Smooth[a] lips and an evil heart
    are like silver coating on clay.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:23 LXX; Heb uncertain