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11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;
    therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

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11 Evil people seek only rebellion,
    but a cruel messenger will be sent against them.

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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 One who loves transgression loves strife;
    one who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.(A)
20 The crooked of mind do not prosper,
    and the perverse of tongue fall into calamity.(B)

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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 The discerning person looks to wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.(A)

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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 The one who lives alone is self-indulgent,
    showing contempt for all sound judgment.[a]
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing personal opinion.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 18.1 Meaning of Heb uncertain

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 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    then goes away and boasts.

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29 A wicked man hardens his face;
    but as for the upright, he establishes his ways.

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29 The wicked put on a bold face,
    but the upright give thought to[a] their ways.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 21.29 Or establish

10 Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out;
    yes, quarrels and insults will stop.

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10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife goes out;
    quarreling and abuse will cease.(A)

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He who sows wickedness reaps trouble,
    and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

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Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
    and the rod of anger will fail.(A)

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26 Don’t you be one of those who strike hands,
    of those who are collateral for debts.

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26 Do not be one of those who give pledges,
    who become surety for debts.(A)

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23 When you sit to eat with a ruler,
    consider diligently what is before you;
put a knife to your throat,
    if you are a man given to appetite.
Don’t be desirous of his dainties,
    since they are deceitful food.

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23 When you sit down to eat with an official,
    observe carefully what[a] is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
    if you have a big appetite.
Do not desire an official’s[b] delicacies,
    for they are deceptive food.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 23.1 Or who
  2. 23.3 Heb his

Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye,
    and don’t crave his delicacies:
    for as he thinks about the cost, so he is.
    “Eat and drink!” he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
The morsel which you have eaten you shall vomit up,
    and lose your good words.

Don’t speak in the ears of a fool,
    for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

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Do not eat the bread of the stingy;
    do not desire their delicacies,(A)
for like a hair in the throat, so are they.[a]
    “Eat and drink!” they say to you,
    but they do not mean it.(B)
You will vomit up the little you have eaten,
    and you will waste your pleasant words.
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
    who will only despise the wisdom of your words.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 23.7 Meaning of Heb uncertain

One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
    is cutting off feet and drinking violence.

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It is like cutting off one’s foot and drinking down violence,
    to send a message by a fool.

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