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He who does evil listens to lips of wickedness,
    and the liar gives heed to the tongue of mischief.

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An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

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Fine speech[a] is not becoming a fool,
    still less[b] is false speech[c] for a ruler.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:7 Literally “A lip of fineness
  2. Proverbs 17:7 Literally “only for”
  3. Proverbs 17:7 Literally “lip of deceit”

Fine speech is not (A)becoming to a fool;
    still less is (B)false speech to a prince.

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20 He who is crooked of heart[a] will not find goodness,
    and he who is perverse, by his tongue he will fall into calamity.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:20 Or “mind”

20 (A)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.

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27 He who spares his sayings knows knowledge,
    and a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
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”

27 Whoever (A)restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool (B)who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

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