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19 It is pleasant to see dreams come true,
    but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.

20 Walk with the wise and become wise;
    associate with fools and get in trouble.

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19 A desire realized is sweet to the soul,
    but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools suffers harm.(A)

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Stay away from fools,
    for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.

The prudent understand where they are going,
    but fools deceive themselves.

Fools make fun of guilt,
    but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.

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Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not find words of knowledge.
It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go,
    but the folly of fools misleads.(A)
Fools mock at the guilt offering,[a]
    but the upright enjoy God’s favor.

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Footnotes

  1. 14.9 Meaning of Heb uncertain

16 The wise are cautious[a] and avoid danger;
    fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.

17 Short-tempered people do foolish things,
    and schemers are hated.

18 Simpletons are clothed with foolishness,[b]
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:16 Hebrew The wise fear.
  2. 14:18 Or inherit foolishness.

16 The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,
    but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.(A)
17 One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly,
    and the schemer is hated.(B)
18 The simple are adorned with[a] folly,
    but the clever are crowned with knowledge.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 14.18 Or inherit

29 People with understanding control their anger;
    a hot temper shows great foolishness.

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29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.(A)

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Only a fool despises a parent’s[a] discipline;
    whoever learns from correction is wise.

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Footnotes

  1. 15:5 Hebrew father’s.

A fool despises a parent’s instruction,
    but the one who heeds admonition is prudent.(A)

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14 A wise person is hungry for knowledge,
    while the fool feeds on trash.

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14 The mind of one who has understanding seeks knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

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10 A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding
    than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.

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10 A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person
    than a hundred blows into a fool.

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16 It is senseless to pay to educate a fool,
    since he has no heart for learning.

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16 Why should fools have a price in hand
    to buy wisdom when they have no mind to learn?

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24 Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom,
    but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

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24 The discerning person looks to wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.(A)

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28 Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent;
    with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

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28 Even fools who keep silent are considered wise;
    when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.(A)

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Fools have no interest in understanding;
    they only want to air their own opinions.

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A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing personal opinion.(A)

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13 Spouting off before listening to the facts
    is both shameful and foolish.

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13 If one gives answer before hearing,
    it is folly and shame.(A)

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