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28 Even fools who keep silent are considered wise;
    when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.(A)

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28 Even a fool (A)who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

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A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing personal opinion.(A)

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A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only (A)in expressing his opinion.

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A fool’s lips bring strife,
    and a fool’s mouth invites a flogging.
The mouths of fools are their ruin,
    and their lips a snare to themselves.(A)

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A fool's lips walk into a fight,
    and his mouth invites (A)a beating.
(B)A fool's mouth is his ruin,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.

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19 Better the poor walking in integrity
    than one perverse of speech who is a fool.(A)

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19 (A)Better is a poor person who (B)walks in his integrity
    than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.

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10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
    much less for a slave to rule over princes.(A)

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10 (A)It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
    much less for (B)a slave to rule over princes.

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29 Punishments are prepared for scoffers
    and flogging for the backs of fools.(A)

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29 Condemnation is ready for (A)scoffers,
    and (B)beating for the backs of fools.

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It is honorable to refrain from strife,
    but every fool is quick to quarrel.(A)

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It is an honor for a man to (A)keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.

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Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
    who will only despise the wisdom of your words.(A)

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Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
    for he will despise the good sense of your words.

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Wisdom is too high for fools;
    in the gate they do not open their mouths.(A)

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Wisdom is (A)too high for a fool;
    in (B)the gate he does not open his mouth.

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26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
    so honor is not fitting for a fool.(A)

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26 Like snow in summer or (A)rain in harvest,
    so (B)honor is (C)not fitting for a fool.

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A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools.(A)
Do not answer fools according to their folly,
    lest you be a fool yourself.(B)
Answer fools according to their folly,
    lest they be wise in their own eyes.(C)
It is like cutting off one’s foot and drinking down violence,
    to send a message by a fool.
The legs of a lame person hang limp;
    so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(D)
It is like binding a stone in a sling
    to give honor to a fool.(E)
Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(F)
10 Like an archer who wounds everybody
    is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.[a]
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit
    is a fool who reverts to his folly.(G)
12 Do you see people wise in their own eyes?
    There is more hope for fools than for them.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. 26.10 Meaning of Heb uncertain

(A)A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and (B)a rod for the back of fools.
(C)Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself.
(D)Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be (E)wise in his own eyes.
Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
    cuts off his own feet and (F)drinks violence.
Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless,
    is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like one who binds the stone in the sling
    is (G)one who gives honor to a fool.
Like (H)a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
    is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone
    is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.[a]
11 Like (I)a dog that returns to his vomit
    is (J)a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is (K)wise in his own eyes?
    (L)There is more hope for a fool than for him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:10 Or hires a fool or passersby

A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
    but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.(A)

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A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
    but (A)a fool's provocation is heavier than both.

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