When a man's folly (A)brings his way to ruin,
    his heart (B)rages against the Lord.

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A person’s own foolishness leads him astray,
yet his heart rages against the Lord.(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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Honor belongs to the person who ends a dispute,(A)
but any fool can get himself into a quarrel.(B)

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20 (A)Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,
    but a foolish man (B)devours it.

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20 Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,
but a fool consumes them.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 21:20 Lit it

15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but (A)the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

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15 Foolishness is bound to the heart of a youth;
a rod of discipline will separate it from him.(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.
Like (D)a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
    (E)a curse that is causeless does not alight.
(F)A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and (G)a rod for the back of fools.
(H)Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself.
(I)Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be (J)wise in his own eyes.
Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
    cuts off his own feet and (K)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 (L)one who gives honor to a fool.
Like (M)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 (N)a dog that returns to his vomit
    is (O)a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is (P)wise in his own eyes?
    (Q)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

26 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,(A)
honor is inappropriate for a fool.(B)

Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow,(C)
an undeserved curse goes nowhere.(D)

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(E)
and a rod for the backs of fools.(F)
Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness(G)
or you’ll be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his foolishness(H)
or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.(I)
The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand(J)
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.(K)
A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like lame legs that hang limp.
Giving honor to a fool
is like binding a stone in a sling.
A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a stick with thorns,
brandished by[a] the hand of a drunkard.
10 The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by
is like an archer who wounds everyone indiscriminately.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so also a fool repeats his foolishness.(L)
12 Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes?(M)
There is more hope for a fool than for him.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. 26:9 Lit thorn that goes up into

26 Whoever (A)trusts in his own mind is a fool,
    but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

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26 The one who trusts in himself[a] is a fool,
but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 28:26 Lit his heart

11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
    but a wise man quietly holds it back.

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11 A fool gives full vent to his anger,[a](A)
but a wise person holds it in check.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 29:11 Lit spirit

32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,
    or if you have been devising evil,
    (A)put your hand on your mouth.

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32 If you have been foolish by exalting yourself
or if you’ve been scheming,
put your hand over your mouth.(A)

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