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27 A worthless scoundrel constantly plots evil,
and from his lips comes a scorching fire.
28 A perverse[a] man spreads conflict,
and a gossip separates intimate friends.
29 A violent man entices his neighbor.
He leads him on a way that is not good.
30 A person who squints his eyes is plotting something perverse.
One who purses his lips has completed some evil plot.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:28 Or twisted

27 A man of wickedness concocts evil,
    and his lips are like a scorching fire.
28 A person of perversity will spread dissent,
    and he who whispers separates a close friend.
29 A person of violence will entice his neighbor
    and cause him to walk on a way that is not good.
30 He who winks his eyes does so in order to plan perverse things;
    he who purses his lips will bring evil to pass.

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An evildoer pays attention to wicked lips.
A liar feeds upon[a] a destructive tongue.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:4 Hebrew variant listens to

He who does evil listens to lips of wickedness,
    and the liar gives heed to the tongue of mischief.

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A person who covers an offense pursues love,
but one who repeats the matter separates friends.

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He who forgives an affront fosters love,
    but he who waits on a matter will alienate a friend.

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19 A person who loves sin loves conflict.
A person who builds his gate high invites destruction.
20 A crooked mind does not find good.
A perverted tongue will fall into disaster.

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19 He who loves transgression loves strife;
    he who builds his high thresholds seeks destruction.
20 He who is crooked of heart[a] will not find goodness,
    and he who is perverse, by his tongue he will fall into calamity.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:20 Or “mind”

24 Wisdom is right in front of a discerning person,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the end of the earth.

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24 He who understands sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool, to the end of the earth.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:24 Or “land”

18 A person who is a loner seeks his own desires.
He fights against all sound judgment.
A fool finds no pleasure in understanding,
but only in revealing his own opinions.

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18 He who is selfish seeks a craving;[a]
    against all sound judgment he shows contempt.
A fool will not take pleasure in understanding,
    but in expressing his heart.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:1 Or “boundary”
  2. Proverbs 18:2 Or “mind”

23 A poor man pleads for mercy,
but a rich man answers harshly.

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23 The poor may speak entreaties,
    but the rich will answer roughly.

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Wealth adds many friends,
but a poor person is deserted by his friend.

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Wealth adds many friends,
    but the poor will be left by his friends.

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Many seek the goodwill of a ruler,
and everyone is a friend to a person who gives gifts.

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Many will seek favor before the generous,
    and everyone is the friend of a man of gifts.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:6 Hebrew “gift”

Many people claim to be loyal,[a]
but who can find a trustworthy man?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:6 The word translated loyal often means merciful. The line is difficult.

Many a person will proclaim his loyalty for himself,
    but a man who is trustworthy, who can find?

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When a king sits on his throne as judge,
he winnows out all evil with his eyes.

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A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    winnows all evil with his eyes.

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14 “It’s no good! It’s no good!” says the buyer,
but then he goes away and brags.

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14 “Bad, bad,” the buyer will say,
    but when one goes to him, then he will boast.

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19 A person who goes around spreading gossip reveals secrets,
so do not associate with anyone whose lips are always open.

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19 He reveals a secret, he who walks about with gossip,
    and do not associate with a babbler’s lips.

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