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27 A worthless man devises mischief.
    His speech is like a scorching fire.
28 A perverse man stirs up strife.
    A whisperer separates close friends.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor,
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 One who winks his eyes to plot perversities,
    one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.

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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 evildoer heeds wicked lips.
    A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

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

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

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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 loves disobedience loves strife.
    One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.
20 One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity,
    and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.

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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 before the face of one who has understanding,
    but the eyes of a fool wander to 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 A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness,
    and defies all sound judgment.
A fool has no delight in understanding,
    but only in revealing his own opinion.

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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 poor plead for mercy,
    but the rich answer harshly.

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23 The poor plead for mercy;
    the rich answer with insults.

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Wealth adds many friends,
    but the poor is separated from his friend.

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

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Many will entreat the favor of a ruler,
    and everyone is a friend to a man who 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 men claim to be men of unfailing love,
    but who can find a faithful man?

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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 king who sits on the throne of judgment
    scatters away all evil with his eyes.

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

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14 “It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer;
    but when he is gone 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 goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets;
    therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

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

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