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19 Longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
    but fools detest turning from evil.
20 One who walks with wise men grows wise,
    but a companion of fools suffers 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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Stay away from a foolish man,
    for you won’t find knowledge on his lips.
The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceit.
Fools mock at making atonement for sins,
    but among the upright there is good will.

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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 man fears and shuns evil,
    but the fool is hot headed and reckless.
17 He who is quick to become angry will commit folly,
    and a crafty man is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

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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 He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but he who has a quick temper displays folly.

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

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A fool despises his father’s correction,
    but he who heeds reproof shows prudence.

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

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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 enters deeper into one who has understanding
    than a hundred lashes 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 buy wisdom,
    since he has no understanding?

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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 before the face of one who has understanding,
    but the eyes of a fool wander to 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 keeps silent, is counted wise.
    When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.

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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 has no delight in understanding,
    but only in revealing his own opinion.

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

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13 He who answers before he hears,
    that is folly and shame to him.

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13 Whoever answers before listening
    is both foolish and shameful.

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