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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.(A)

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The fear of the Lord(A) is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools[a] despise wisdom(B) and instruction.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.

22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
    and fools hate knowledge?(A)

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22 “How long will you who are simple(A) love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate(B) knowledge?

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32 For waywardness kills the simple,
    and the complacency of fools destroys them;(A)

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32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(A)

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O simple ones, learn prudence;
    acquire intelligence, you who lack it.(A)

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You who are simple,(A) gain prudence;(B)
    you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds

Folly’s Invitation and Promise

13 The foolish woman is loud;
    she is ignorant and knows nothing.(A)
14 She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the high places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
    who are going straight on their way,
16 “You who are simple, turn in here!”
    And to those without sense she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
    and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”(B)
18 But they do not know that the dead[a] are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 9.18 Heb shades

13 Folly is an unruly woman;(A)
    she is simple and knows nothing.(B)
14 She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the highest point of the city,(C)
15 calling out(D) to those who pass by,
    who go straight on their way,
16     “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(E) she says,
17     “Stolen water is sweet;
    food eaten in secret is delicious!(F)
18 But little do they know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.(G)

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The wise of heart will heed commandments,
    but one with foolish lips will come to ruin.(A)

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The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.(A)

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18 Lying lips conceal hatred,
    and whoever utters slander is a fool.

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18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips(A)
    and spreads slander is a fool.

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23 Doing wrong is like sport to a fool,
    but wise conduct is pleasure to a person of understanding.(A)

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23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,(A)
    but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

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29 Those who trouble their households will inherit wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise.

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29 Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise.(A)

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15 Fools think their own way is right,
    but the wise listen to advice.(A)
16 Fools show their anger at once,
    but the prudent ignore an insult.(B)

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15 The way of fools seems right to them,(A)
    but the wise listen to advice.(B)

16 Fools(C) show their annoyance at once,(D)
    but the prudent overlook an insult.(E)

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23 One who is clever conceals knowledge,
    but the mind of a fool[a] broadcasts folly.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 12.23 Heb the heart of fools

23 The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,(A)
    but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.(B)

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16 The clever do all things intelligently,
    but the fool displays folly.(A)

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16 All who are prudent act with[a] knowledge,
    but fools expose(A) their folly.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:16 Or prudent protect themselves through