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The fear of Yahweh[a] is the beginning of knowledge;
    but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:7 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.

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

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22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
    How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery,
    and fools hate knowledge?

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

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32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them.
    The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

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32 For the simple are killed by (A)their turning away,
    and (B)the complacency of fools destroys them;

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You simple, understand prudence!
    You fools, be of an understanding heart!

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O (A)simple ones, learn (B)prudence;
    O (C)fools, learn sense.

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13 The foolish woman is loud,
    undisciplined, and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat in the high places of the city,
15 to call to those who pass by,
    who go straight on their ways,
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.”
    as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
17 “Stolen water is sweet.
    Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 9:18 Sheol is the place of the dead.

The Way of Folly

13 (A)The woman Folly is (B)loud;
    she is seductive[a] and (C)knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house;
    she takes a seat on (D)the highest places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
    who are (E)going straight on their way,
16 (F)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    And to him who lacks sense she says,
17 (G)“Stolen water is sweet,
    and (H)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know (I)that the dead[b] are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:13 Or full of simpleness
  2. Proverbs 9:18 Hebrew Rephaim

The wise in heart accept commandments,
    but a chattering fool will fall.

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(A)The wise of heart will receive commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

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18 He who hides hatred has lying lips.
    He who utters a slander is a fool.

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18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
    and whoever utters slander is a fool.

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23 It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness,
    but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.

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23 Doing wrong is (A)like a joke to a fool,
    but (B)wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

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29 He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind.
    The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

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29 Whoever (A)troubles his own household will (B)inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

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15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
    but he who is wise listens to counsel.
16 A fool shows his annoyance the same day,
    but one who overlooks an insult is prudent.

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15 (A)The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
    but a wise man listens to advice.
16 (B)The vexation of a fool is known at once,
    but the prudent ignores an insult.

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23 A prudent man keeps his knowledge,
    but the hearts of fools proclaim foolishness.

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23 (A)A prudent man conceals knowledge,
    (B)but the heart of fools proclaims folly.

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16 Every prudent man acts from knowledge,
    but a fool exposes folly.

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16 (A)Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
    (B)but a fool flaunts his folly.

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