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22 Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it,
    but discipline is wasted on fools.

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22 Insight is a fountain of life(A) for its possessor,
but the discipline of fools is folly.

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12 It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
    than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.

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12 Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubs(A)
than a fool in his foolishness.

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

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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

People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
    and then are angry at the Lord.

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A person’s own foolishness leads him astray,
yet his heart rages against the Lord.(A)

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10 It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury
    or for a slave to rule over princes!

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10 Luxury is not appropriate for a fool(A)
how much less for a slave to rule over princes!(B)

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11 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded become wise;
    if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser.

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11 When a mocker is punished,
the inexperienced become wiser;
when one teaches a wise man,
he acquires knowledge.(A)

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Wisdom is too lofty for fools.
    Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.

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Wisdom is inaccessible to[a] a fool;(A)
he does not open his mouth at the city gate.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 24:7 Lit is too high for

13 My child,[a] eat honey, for it is good,
    and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.
14 In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.
    If you find it, you will have a bright future,
    and your hopes will not be cut short.

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Footnotes

  1. 24:13 Hebrew My son; also in 24:21.

13 Eat honey,(A) my son, for it is good,
and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate;(B)
14 realize that wisdom is the same for you.(C)
If you find it, you will have a future,
and your hope will never fade.(D)

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12 There is more hope for fools
    than for people who think they are wise.

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12 Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes?(A)
There is more hope for a fool than for him.(B)

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25 Greed causes fighting;
    trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.

26 Those who trust their own insight are foolish,
    but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.

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25 A greedy person stirs up conflict,(A)
but whoever trusts in the Lord will prosper.(B)

26 The one who trusts in himself[a] is a fool,
but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 28:26 Lit his heart

11 Fools vent their anger,
    but the wise quietly hold it back.

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11 A fool gives full vent to his anger,[a](A)
but a wise person holds it in check.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 29:11 Lit spirit

20 There is more hope for a fool
    than for someone who speaks without thinking.

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20 Do you see someone who speaks too soon?(A)
There is more hope for a fool than for him.(B)

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