23 The (A)heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds [a]persuasiveness to his lips.
24 (B)Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and (C)healing to the bones.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:23 Or learning

23 The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth,
And addeth learning to his lips.
24 Pleasant words are as a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

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27 A (A)worthless person digs up evil,
While [a]his words are like (B)scorching fire.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:27 Lit on his lips

27 A worthless man [a]deviseth mischief;
And in his lips there is as a scorching fire.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:27 Hebrew diggeth.

One who mocks the (A)poor taunts his Maker;
One who (B)rejoices at disaster will not go unpunished.

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Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker;
And he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

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[a](A)Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool,
Much less are (B)lying lips to a prince.

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  1. Proverbs 17:7 Lit A lip of abundance

[a]Excellent speech becometh not a fool;
Much less do lying lips a prince.

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  1. Proverbs 17:7 Or, Arrogant

One who (A)conceals an offense seeks love,
But one who repeats a matter (B)separates close friends.

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He that covereth a transgression seeketh love;
But he that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends.

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27 One who (A)withholds his words [a]has knowledge,
And one who has a (B)cool spirit is a person of understanding.
28 Even a fool, when he (C)keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:27 Lit knows

27 He [a]that spareth his words hath knowledge;
And he that is of a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise;
[b]When he shutteth his lips, he is esteemed as prudent.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:27 Or, that hath knowledge spareth his words; And a man of understanding is of a cool spirit
  2. Proverbs 17:28 Or, He that shutteth his lips is etc.

The words of a person’s mouth are (A)deep waters;
[a]The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:4 Or A bubbling brook, a fountain of wisdom

The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters;
[a]The wellspring of wisdom is as a flowing brook.

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  1. Proverbs 18:4 Or, A flowing brook, a wellspring of wisdom

13 One who (A)gives an answer before he hears,
It is foolishness and shame to him.

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13 He that giveth answer before he heareth,
It is folly and shame unto him.

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17 The first [a]to plead his case seems right,
Until [b]another comes and examines him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:17 Lit in his plea
  2. Proverbs 18:17 Lit his neighbor

17 He that pleadeth his cause first seemeth just;
But his neighbor cometh and searcheth him out.

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20 With the [a](A)fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
(B)He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.
21 (C)Death and life are in the [b]power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its (D)fruit.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:20 I.e., speech
  2. Proverbs 18:21 Lit hand

20 A man’s belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth;
With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue;
And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

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(A)Avoiding strife is an honor for a person,
But any fool will [a]quarrel.

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  1. Proverbs 20:3 Lit burst out

It is an honor for a man to [a]keep aloof from strife;
But every fool will be quarrelling.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:3 Or, cease

(A)Avoiding strife is an honor for a person,
But any fool will [a]quarrel.

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  1. Proverbs 20:3 Lit burst out

It is an honor for a man to [a]keep aloof from strife;
But every fool will be quarrelling.

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  1. Proverbs 20:3 Or, cease

11 One who loves (A)purity of heart
And [a]whose speech is (B)gracious, the king is his friend.

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  1. Proverbs 22:11 Lit has grace on his lips

11 He that loveth [a]pureness of heart,
[b]For the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:11 Another reading is, the pure of heart.
  2. Proverbs 22:11 Or, Hath grace in his lips. Or, That hath grace in his lips