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Excellent speech isn’t fitting for a fool,
    much less do lying lips fit a prince.

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Excess speech is not becoming to a fool;
    still less is false speech to a ruler.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 17.7 Or a noble

10 A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding
    than a hundred lashes into a fool.

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10 A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person
    than a hundred blows into a fool.

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12 Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man,
    rather than a fool in his folly.

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12 Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs
    than to confront a fool immersed in folly.(A)

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16 Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
    since he has no understanding?

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16 Why should fools have a price in hand
    to buy wisdom when they have no mind to learn?

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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.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father,
    and bitterness to her who bore him.

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24 The discerning person looks to wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.(A)
25 Foolish children are a grief to their father
    and bitterness to her who bore them.(B)

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28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise.
    When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.

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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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