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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 Scoundrels create trouble;
    their words are a destructive blaze.

28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife;
    gossip separates the best of friends.

29 Violent people mislead their companions,
    leading them down a harmful path.

30 With narrowed eyes, people plot evil;
    with a smirk, they plan their mischief.

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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

Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip;
    liars pay close attention to slander.

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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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Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,
    but dwelling on it separates close friends.

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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 Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin;
    anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.

20 The crooked heart will not prosper;
    the lying tongue tumbles into trouble.

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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 Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom,
    but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

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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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18 Unfriendly people care only about themselves;
    they lash out at common sense.

Fools have no interest in understanding;
    they only want to air their own opinions.

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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 plead for mercy;
    the rich answer with insults.

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

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Wealth makes many “friends”;
    poverty drives them all away.

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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 seek favors from a ruler;
    everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!

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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 will say they are loyal friends,
    but who can find one who is truly reliable?

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(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

When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence,
    distinguishing the bad from the good.

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

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14 The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,”
    then brags about getting a bargain!

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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 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
    so don’t hang around with chatterers.

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