27 A (A)worthless person digs up evil,
While [a]his words are like (B)scorching fire.
28 A perverse person spreads strife,
And a [b]slanderer separates close friends.
29 A person 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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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:27 Lit on his lips
  2. Proverbs 16:28 Or gossip

27 A worthless person digs up evil,
and his speech is like a scorching fire.(A)

28 A contrary person spreads conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.(B)

29 A violent person lures his neighbor,(C)
leading him on a path that is not good.(D)

30 The one who narrows his eyes is planning deceptions;
the one who compresses his lips brings about evil.(E)

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An (A)evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A [a]liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:4 Lit falsehood

A wicked person listens to malicious talk;[a]
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

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Footnotes

  1. 17:4 Lit to lips of iniquity

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

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Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,(A)
but whoever gossips about it separates friends.(B)

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19 One who (A)loves wrongdoing loves strife;
One who (B)makes his doorway high seeks destruction.
20 One who has a crooked [a]mind (C)finds nothing good,
And one who is [b](D)corrupted in his language falls into evil.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:20 Lit heart
  2. Proverbs 17:20 Lit altered in his tongue

19 One who loves to offend loves strife;(A)
one who builds a high threshold invites injury.

20 One with a twisted mind will not succeed,
and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.(B)

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

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24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,
but a fool’s eyes(A) roam to the ends of the earth.

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Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

18 One who separates himself seeks his own desire;
He [a](A)quarrels against all sound wisdom.
A fool does not delight in understanding,
But (B)in revealing his own [b]mind.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:1 Lit breaks out
  2. Proverbs 18:2 Lit heart

18 One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires;
he rebels against all sound wisdom.

A fool does not delight in understanding,
but only wants to show off his opinions.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 18:2 Lit to uncover his heart

23 A (A)poor person utters pleadings,
But a (B)rich person (C)answers defiantly.

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23 The poor person pleads,(A)
but the rich one answers roughly.(B)

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

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Wealth attracts many friends,(A)
but a poor person is separated from his friend.

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(A)Many will seek the favor of a [a]generous person,
And every person is a friend to (B)him who gives gifts.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:6 Or noble

Many seek a ruler’s favor,(A)
and everyone is a friend of one who gives gifts.(B)

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Many a person (A)proclaims his own loyalty,
But who can find a (B)trustworthy person?

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Many a person proclaims his own loyalty,
but who can find a trustworthy person?(A)

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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

A king sitting on a throne to judge
separates out all evil with his eyes.(A)

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

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14 “It’s worthless, it’s worthless!” the buyer says,
but after he is on his way, he gloats.

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19 One who (A)goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with [a](B)a gossip.

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Footnotes

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

19 The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip;(A)
avoid someone with a big mouth.(B)

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