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 A desire fulfilled[a] will be sweet to the soul,
    but an abomination of fools is turning from evil.
20 Walk with the wise and be wise,
    but as for the companion of fools, he will suffer harm.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:19 Literally “made to be,” “brought about”

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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Leave the presence of a foolish man,[a]
    for you will not come to know words of knowledge.[b]
The wisdom of the clever is understanding his ways,
    but the folly of fools is deceit.
Fools mock[c] the guilt offering,
    but among the upright, it is favorable.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:7 Literally “from the presence belonging to a man of foolishness”
  2. Proverbs 14:7 Literally “lips of knowledge”
  3. Proverbs 14:9 Hebrew “he mocks”

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 The wise is cautious and turns from evil,
    but the fool throws off restraint and is confident.
17 He who is short of temper[a] will act foolishly,
    and the man who schemes will be hated.
18 The simple are adorned with folly,
    but the clever are crowned with knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:17 Literally “nostril”

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

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29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but the hasty of spirit[a] exalts folly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:29 Or “breath”

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

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A fool will despise the instruction of his father,
    but he who guards reproof is prudent.

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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 The heart of him who understands will seek knowledge,
    but the faces of fools, they[a] will feed on folly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:14 Hebrew “he/it”

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

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10 A rebuke strikes him who understands
    deeper than one hundred blows to 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 is this? A price in the hand of a fool,
    in order to buy wisdom where[a] there is no sense.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:16 Hebrew “and”
  2. Proverbs 17:16 Literally “heart”

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 He who understands sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool, to the end of the earth.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:24 Or “land”

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 who keeps silent shall be considered wise;[a]
    he who closes his lips is intelligent.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:28 Literally “wise, he shall be considered”

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

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A fool will not take pleasure in understanding,
    but in expressing his heart.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:2 Or “mind”

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

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13 He who returns a word before he will hear,
    folly itself belongs to him as well as[a] shame.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:13 Hebrew “and”