23 (A)The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
    and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 (B)Gracious words are like (C)a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and (D)health to the body.

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23 The mind of the wise makes their speech insightful
    and enhances the teaching of their lips.
24 Pleasant words are flowing honey,
    sweet to the taste and healing to the bones.

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27 (A)A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech[a] is like (B)a scorching fire.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:27 Hebrew what is on his lips

27 Worthless people dig up trouble;
    their lips are like a scorching fire.

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Whoever mocks the poor (A)insults his Maker;
    he who is (B)glad at calamity will not go (C)unpunished.

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Those who mock the poor insult their maker;
    those who rejoice in disaster won’t go unpunished.

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Fine speech is not (A)becoming to a fool;
    still less is (B)false speech to a prince.

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Too much talking isn’t right for a fool;
    even less so false speech for an honorable person.

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Whoever (A)covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter (B)separates close friends.

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One who seeks love conceals an offense,
    but one who repeats it divides friends.

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27 Whoever (A)restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool (B)who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

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27 Wise are those who restrain their talking;
    people with understanding are coolheaded.
28 Fools who keep quiet are deemed wise;
    those who shut their lips are smart.

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The words of a man's mouth are (A)deep waters;
    the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

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The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters,
    a bubbling stream, a fountain of wisdom.

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13 If one gives an answer (A)before he hears,
    it is his folly and shame.

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13 Those who answer before they listen
    are foolish and disgraceful.

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17 The one who states his case first seems right,
    until the other comes and examines him.

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17 The first person to testify seems innocent,
    until the other comes and cross-examines him.

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20 (A)From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
    he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
21 (B)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
    and those who love it will eat its fruits.

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20 The stomach is satisfied
by the fruit of the mouth;
    one’s lips can earn a satisfying income.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue;
    those who love it will eat its fruit.

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It is an honor for a man to (A)keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.

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It is honorable to back off from a fight,
    but fools jump right in.

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It is an honor for a man to (A)keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.

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It is honorable to back off from a fight,
    but fools jump right in.

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11 He who (A)loves purity of heart,
    and whose (B)speech is gracious, (C)will have the king as his friend.

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11 Those who love a pure heart—
    their speech is gracious, and the king is their friend.

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