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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 who keeps silent shall be considered wise;[a]
    he who closes his lips is intelligent.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:28 Literally “wise, he shall be considered”

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

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A fool will not take pleasure in understanding,
    but in expressing his heart.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:2 Or “mind”

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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The lips of a fool will bring strife,
    and his mouth calls out for a flogging.
The mouth of a fool is ruin to him,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:7 Or “life,” or “inner self”

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

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19 Better a poor person walking in integrity
    than one who is perverse in his speech[a] and is a fool.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:1 Literally “in his lips”

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 For a fool living in luxury is not fitting,
    any more than it is for 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 Judgments[a] are prepared for the scoffers,
    and flogging for the back of fools.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:29 Or “Punishments,” or “Condemnations”

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

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It is honorable for the man to refrain from strife,
    but every fool will be quick to quarrel.

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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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In the ears of a fool do not speak,
    for he will despise the wisdom 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 too high for fools;
    at the gate he will 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 the summer and like rain at the harvest,
    so honor is 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 whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly
    lest you become like him—even you.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
    or else he will be wise in his own eyes.
Like cutting off feet or drinking violence,
    so is he who sends messages in the hand of a fool.
Like legs that hang limp from a lame person,
    so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like binding a stone in a sling,
    so is giving honor to a fool.
Like a thorn that goes up in the hand of a drunkard,
    so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone,
    so is he who hires a fool or he who hires passersby.
11 Like a dog returning to his vomit
    is a fool reverting to his folly.
12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
    There is more hope for a fool than for him.

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

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Heavy is a stone and weighty is sand,
    but the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.

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