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

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Fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge;
    wisdom and instruction, fools despise.

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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 ones will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

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

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35 They will inherit the honor of the wise,
    but stubborn fools, disgrace.

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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 lay up knowledge,
    but to the mouth of the fool, ruin draws near.

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

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21 Lips of righteousness feed many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:21 Literally “in the lack of heart, they die”

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 It is like a sport for a fool to do wrong,
    wisdom for a person of understanding.

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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 He who brings trouble to his household, he will inherit wind,[a]
    and a fool will serve the wise of heart.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:29 Or “breath, spirit”

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

In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride,
    but the lips of the wise preserve them.

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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 clever is understanding his ways,
    but the folly of fools is deceit.

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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 mock[a] the guilt offering,
    but among the upright, it is favorable.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:9 Hebrew “he mocks”

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 is cautious and turns from evil,
    but the fool throws off restraint and is confident.

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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;
    the folly of fools is folly.

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