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23 The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
    and adds learning to his lips.
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
    sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

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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

27 A worthless man devises mischief.
    His speech is like a scorching fire.

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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

Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker.
    He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

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

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Excellent speech isn’t fitting for a fool,
    much less do lying lips fit a prince.

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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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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:7 Lit A lip of abundance

He who covers an offense promotes love;
    but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.

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

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27 He who spares his words has knowledge.
    He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.
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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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

The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters.
    The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.

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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

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

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

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17 He who pleads his cause first seems right;
    until another comes and questions 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

20 A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth.
    With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue;
    those who love it will eat its fruit.

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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

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

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:3 Lit burst out

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

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:3 Lit burst out

11 He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully
    is the king’s friend.

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

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Footnotes

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