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27 A (A)vile man digs up evil,
And the words on his lips are like (B)scorching fire.
28 A perverse man spreads strife,
And a whisperer separates close companions.
29 A man of violence (C)entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.
30 He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

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27 A worthless person concocts evil gossip[a]
    his lips are like a burning fire.

28 A deceitful man stirs dissension,
    and anyone who gossips separates friends.
29 A violent man entices his companion
    and leads him on a path that is not good.
30 Whoever winks knowingly[b] is plotting[c] deceit;
    anyone who purses his lips is bent towards evil.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:27 The Heb. lacks gossip
  2. Proverbs 16:30 Lit. with his eyes
  3. Proverbs 16:30 So MT; LXX Syr Targ Vg read winks with his eyes considers

An (A)evildoer gives heed to lips of wickedness;
[a]A liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:4 Lit Falsehood

Whoever practices evil pays attention to wicked speech,
    and the liar listens to malicious talk.

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He who (A)covers a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter (B)separates close companions.

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Anyone who overlooks[a] an offense promotes love,
    but someone who gossips separates close friends.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:9 Lit. covers

19 He who (A)loves transgression loves quarreling;
He who (B)makes his doorway high seeks destruction.
20 He who has a crooked heart (C)finds no good,
And he who is (D)perverted in his tongue falls into evil.

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19 The person who loves transgression loves strife;
    the person who builds a high gate invites destruction.

20 The person whose mind[a] is perverse does not find good,
    and anyone with perverted speech falls into trouble.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:20 Lit. heart

24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who understands,
But the (A)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

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24 A person with understanding has wisdom as his objective,
    but a fool looks only[a] to earthly goals.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:24 The Heb. lacks only

18 He who separates himself seeks his own desire,
He (A)breaks out in dispute against all sound wisdom.
A fool does not delight in discernment,
But only (B)in revealing his own heart.

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How Fools Talk

18 Whoever isolates himself pursues selfish ends;
he resists all sound advice.

A fool finds no satisfaction in trying to understand,
    for he would rather express his own opinion.

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23 The (A)poor man speaks supplications,
But the (B)rich man (C)answers with strong words.

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23 The poor person pleads for mercy,
    but the wealthy man responds harshly.

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(A)Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.

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Wealth brings many friends,
    but a poor man is deserted by his friend.

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(A)Many will seek the favor of a noble man,
And everyone is a friend to a man who (B)gives gifts.

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Many curry favor of an official;
    everyone is a friend of the gift giver.

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Many a man will (A)call out his own lovingkindness,
But a (B)faithful man, who can find?

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Many claim “I’m a loyal person!”[a]
    but who can find someone who truly is?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:6 Lit. claim to be people of gracious love

(A)A king who sits on the throne of justice
[a]Disperses all evil with his eyes.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:8 Or Sifts

A king sits on a throne of justice,
    sifting out all sorts of evil with his glance.

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14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.

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14 “This is bad, bad,” says whoever is buying—
    but then he brags as he walks away after the sale.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:14 The Heb. lacks after the sale

19 He who (A)goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
Therefore do not associate with [a](B)one of loose lips.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:19 Lit one who opens his lips

19 Whoever spreads gossip betrays confidences;
    so don’t get involved with someone who talks too much.

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