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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 Major Theme

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools despise wisdom and discipline.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:7 Or instruction

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

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32 Indeed, the waywardness[a] of the naïve will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:32 So MT; DSS 4QProva reads narrow-mindedness; lit. the pull of; LXX reads Because they would wrong the naïve, they will be murdered

35 The wise will inherit honor,
    but stubborn fools, disgrace.

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35 The wise will inherit honor,
    but he holds fools up for ridicule.

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14 The wise lay up knowledge,
    but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

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14 Those who are wise store up knowledge,
    but when the fool speaks,[a] destruction is near.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:14 Lit. but the mouth of the fool

21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.

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21 What the righteous person says[a] nourishes many,
    but fools die because they lack discerning[b] hearts.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:21 Lit. The lips of the righteous
  2. Proverbs 10:21 The Heb. lacks discerning

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 Just as the fool considers wickedness his joy,
    so is wisdom to the discerning man.

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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 troubles his household will inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be a servant to the wise.

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The talk of fools is a rod for their backs,[a]
    but the lips of the wise preserve them.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 14.3 Cn: Heb a rod of pride

What a fool says brings[a] a rod to his back,
    but the words of the wise protect them.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:3 Lit. The mouth of the fool

It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go,
    but the folly of fools misleads.(A)

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The wisdom of the prudent helps him know how to live,
    but a fool’s stupidity deceives him.

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Fools mock at the guilt offering,[a]
    but the upright enjoy God’s favor.

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Footnotes

  1. 14.9 Meaning of Heb uncertain

Fools make fun of guilt,
    but among the upright there are good intentions.

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16 The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,
    but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.(A)

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16 The wise person fears and turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and overconfident.

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24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but folly is the garland[a] of fools.

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Footnotes

  1. 14.24 Cn: Heb is the folly

24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the stupidity of fools is just that—stupidity!

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