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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 fools are thought wise when they keep silent;
    with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

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

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Fools have no interest in understanding;
    they only want to air their own opinions.

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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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Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels;
    they are asking for a beating.

The mouths of fools are their ruin;
    they trap themselves with their lips.

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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 Better to be poor and honest
    than to be dishonest and 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 It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury
    or 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 Punishment is made for mockers,
    and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.

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

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Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;
    only fools insist on 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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Don’t waste your breath on fools,
    for they will despise the wisest advice.

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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 lofty for fools.
    Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.

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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 Honor is no more associated with fools
    than snow with summer or rain with harvest.

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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

Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle,
    and a fool with a rod to his back!

Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
    or you will become as foolish as they are.

Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
    or they will become wise in their own estimation.

Trusting a fool to convey a message
    is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!

A proverb in the mouth of a fool
    is as useless as a paralyzed leg.

Honoring a fool
    is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.

A proverb in the mouth of a fool
    is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.

10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander
    is like an archer who shoots at random.

11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
    so a fool repeats his foolishness.

12 There is more hope for fools
    than for people who think they are wise.

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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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A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
    but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier.

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