19 Desire realized is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.
20 (A)One who walks with wise people will be wise,
But a companion of fools will suffer harm.

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19 Fulfilled longing is sweet to the soul,
    but avoiding evil is detestable to the fool.
20 Whoever keeps company with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools suffers harm.

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Leave the (A)presence of a fool,
Or you will not [a]discern [b]words of knowledge.
The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,
But (B)the foolishness of fools is deceit.
Fools mock at [c]sin,
But (C)among the upright there is [d]goodwill.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:7 Lit know
  2. Proverbs 14:7 Lit lips
  3. Proverbs 14:9 Lit guilt
  4. Proverbs 14:9 Or the favor of God

Stay away from a foolish man,
    for you will not find competent advice.

The wisdom of the prudent helps him know how to live,
    but a fool’s stupidity deceives him.

Fools make fun of guilt,
    but among the upright there are good intentions.

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16 A wise person [a]is cautious and (A)turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.
17 A quick-tempered person acts foolishly,
And a person of evil devices is hated.
18 The naive inherit foolishness,
But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:16 Lit fears

16 The wise person fears and turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and overconfident.
17 A quick tempered person does foolish things,
    and a devious man is hated.

18 The naïve inherit folly,
    but the careful are crowned with knowledge.

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29 One who is (A)slow to anger has great understanding;
But one who is [a]quick-tempered exalts foolishness.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:29 Lit short of spirit

29 Being slow to get angry compares to great understanding
    as being quick-tempered compares to stupidity.

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A fool [a]rejects his father’s discipline,
But he who complies with rebuke is sensible.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:5 Or despises

A fool rejects his father’s instructions,
    but anyone who respects[a] reproof acts sensibly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:5 Lit. keeps

14 The (A)mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

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14 A discerning mind seeks knowledge,
    but the mouth of fools feeds on stupidity.

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10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool.

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10 A rebuke is more effective with a man of understanding
    than a hundred lashes to a fool.

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16 Why is there money in the hand of a fool to (A)buy wisdom,
When [a]he has no sense?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:16 Lit there is no heart

16 What is this? A fool has enough money to buy wisdom,
    but is senseless?[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:16 Lit. but has no heart

24 Wisdom is in the presence of one who has understanding,
But the (A)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

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24 A person with understanding has wisdom as his objective,
    but a fool looks only[a] to earthly goals.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:24 The Heb. lacks only

28 Even a fool, when he (A)keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

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28 Even a fool is thought to be wise when he remains silent;
    he is thought to be prudent when he keeps his mouth shut.

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A fool does not delight in understanding,
But (A)in revealing his own [a]mind.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:2 Lit heart

A fool finds no satisfaction in trying to understand,
    for he would rather express his own opinion.

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13 One who (A)gives an answer before he hears,
It is foolishness and shame to him.

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13 Whoever answers before listening
    is both foolish and shameful.

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