19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,(A)
    but fools detest turning from evil.

20 Walk with the wise and become wise,
    for a companion of fools suffers harm.(B)

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19 Desire fulfilled is sweet to the taste,
but to turn from evil is detestable to fools.(A)

20 The one who walks with the wise will become wise,
but a companion of fools will suffer harm.

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Stay away from a fool,
    for you will not find knowledge on their lips.

The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,(A)
    but the folly of fools is deception.(B)

Fools mock at making amends for sin,
    but goodwill is found among the upright.

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Stay away from a foolish person;
you will gain no knowledge from his speech.(A)

The sensible person’s wisdom is to consider his way,
but the stupidity of fools deceives them.

Fools mock at making reparation,[a]
but there is goodwill among the upright.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:9 Or at guilt offerings

16 The wise fear the Lord and shun evil,(A)
    but a fool(B) is hotheaded and yet feels secure.

17 A quick-tempered person(C) does foolish things,(D)
    and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.(E)

18 The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

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16 A wise person is cautious and turns from evil,(A)
but a fool is easily angered and is careless.[a]

17 A quick-tempered person acts foolishly,
and one who schemes is hated.(B)

18 The inexperienced inherit foolishness,
but the sensible are crowned with knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:16 Or and falls

29 Whoever is patient has great understanding,(A)
    but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.(B)

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29 A patient person shows great understanding,(A)
but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness.

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A fool spurns a parent’s discipline,
    but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.(A)

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A fool despises his father’s discipline,
but a person who accepts correction is sensible.(A)

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14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,(A)
    but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

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14 A discerning mind seeks knowledge,(A)
but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.(B)

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10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
    more than a hundred lashes a fool.

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10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

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16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
    when they are not able to understand it?(A)

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16 Why does a fool have money in his hand
with no intention of buying wisdom?(A)

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24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
    but a fool’s eyes(A) wander to the ends of the earth.

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24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,
but a fool’s eyes(A) roam to the ends of the earth.

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28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
    and discerning if they hold their tongues.(A)

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28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent—
discerning, when he seals his lips.(A)

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Fools find no pleasure in understanding
    but delight in airing their own opinions.(A)

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A fool does not delight in understanding,
but only wants to show off his opinions.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 18:2 Lit to uncover his heart

13 To answer before listening—
    that is folly and shame.(A)

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13 The one who gives an answer before he listens—
this is foolishness and disgrace for him.(A)

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