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With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,
    but the righteous will be delivered through knowledge.

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With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
    but through knowledge the righteous escape.(A)

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The words of the wicked are about lying in wait for blood,
    but the speech of the upright rescues them.

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The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
    but the speech of the upright rescues them.(A)

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27 A worthless man devises mischief.
    His speech is like a scorching fire.
28 A perverse man stirs up strife.
    A whisperer separates close friends.

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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)

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Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker.
    He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

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Whoever mocks the poor(A) shows contempt for their Maker;(B)
    whoever gloats over disaster(C) will not go unpunished.(D)

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He who covers an offense promotes love;
    but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.

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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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A fool’s lips come into strife,
    and his mouth invites beatings.

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The lips of fools bring them strife,
    and their mouths invite a beating.(A)

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The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels:
    they go down into a person’s innermost parts.

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The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.(A)

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19 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
    than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.

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19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than a fool whose lips are perverse.(A)

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19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets;
    therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

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19 A gossip betrays a confidence;(A)
    so avoid anyone who talks too much.

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10 Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out;
    yes, quarrels and insults will stop.

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10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
    quarrels and insults are ended.(A)

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Debate your case with your neighbor,
    and don’t betray the confidence of another,
10     lest one who hears it put you to shame,
    and your bad reputation never depart.

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If you take your neighbor to court,
    do not betray another’s confidence,
10 or the one who hears it may shame you
    and the charge against you will stand.

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23 The north wind produces rain;
    so a backbiting tongue brings an angry face.

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23 Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
    is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.

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20 For lack of wood a fire goes out.
    Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
21 As coals are to hot embers,
    and wood to fire,
    so is a contentious man to kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels,
    they go down into the innermost parts.
23 Like silver dross on an earthen vessel
    are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.

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20 Without wood a fire goes out;
    without a gossip a quarrel dies down.(A)
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.(B)
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.(C)

23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
    are fervent[a] lips with an evil heart.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth