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 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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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 (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

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 [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

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

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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

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

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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

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

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

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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 goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows 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 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

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

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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 (A)in revealing his own [a]mind.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:2 Lit heart

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

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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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