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One’s own folly leads to ruin,
    yet the heart rages against the Lord.(A)

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People’s own folly corrupts their way,
    but their hearts rage against the Lord.

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

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It is honorable to back off from a fight,
    but fools jump right in.

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20 Precious treasure remains[a] in the house of the wise,
    but the fool devours it.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 21.20 Gk: Heb and oil

20 Precious treasure and oil stay in the home of the wise,
    but fools swallow them up.

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

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15 Folly is bound up in a child’s heart;
    the rod of discipline removes it.

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26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
    so honor is not fitting for a fool.(A)
Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
    an undeserved curse goes nowhere.(B)
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools.(C)
Do not answer fools according to their folly,
    lest you be a fool yourself.(D)
Answer fools according to their folly,
    lest they be wise in their own eyes.(E)
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.(F)
It is like binding a stone in a sling
    to give honor to a fool.(G)
Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(H)
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.(I)
12 Do you see people wise in their own eyes?
    There is more hope for fools than for them.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 26.10 Meaning of Heb uncertain

26 Like snow in the summer or rain at harvest,
    so honor isn’t appropriate for a fool.
Like a darting sparrow, like a flying swallow,
    so an undeserved curse never arrives.
A whip for a horse, a bridle for a donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools.
Don’t answer fools according to their folly,
    or you will become like them yourself.
Answer fools according to their folly,
    or they will deem themselves wise.
Sending messages with a fool
    is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking down violence.
As legs dangle from a disabled person,
    so does a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like tying a stone in a sling,
    so is giving respect to a fool.
Like a thorny bush in the hand of a drunk,
    so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds someone randomly,
    so is one who hires a fool or a passerby.
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit,
    so a fool repeats foolish mistakes.
12 Do you see people who consider themselves wise?
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.

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26 Those who trust in their own wits are fools,
    but those who walk in wisdom come through safely.

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26 Those who trust in their own reasoning are fools,
    but those who walk in wisdom will be kept safe.

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11 A fool gives full vent to anger,
    but the wise quietly holds it back.(A)

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11 Fools show all their anger,
    but the wise hold it back.

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

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32 If you’ve been foolish and arrogant,
    if you’ve been scheming,
    put your hand to your mouth,

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