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20 For lack of wood, a fire goes out,
    and where there is no whisperer, quarreling will cease.
21 As charcoal is to hot embers and wood is to fire,
    so a man of quarrels is to kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels,
    and they go down to the inner parts of the body.
23 Like impure silver[a] which overlays an earthen vessel,
    so are smooth lips and an evil heart[b].
24 On his lips, an enemy will pretend,
    but inside[c] he will harbor deceit.
25 When he makes his voice gracious, do not believe him,
    for seven abominations are in his heart.
26 Though hatred is covered with guile,
    its evil will be exposed in the assembly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:23 Literally “silver of impurities”
  2. Proverbs 26:23 Or “mind”
  3. Proverbs 26:24 Literally “in his midst”

20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no (A)gossiper, (B)quarreling quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a (C)contentious person to kindle strife.
22 The (D)words of a gossiper are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the [a]innermost parts of the body.
23 Like an earthenware (E)vessel overlaid with silver [b](F)impurities
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 One who (G)hates disguises it with his lips,
But he harbors (H)deceit in his [c]heart.
25 When [d]he (I)speaks graciously, do not believe him,
Because there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred (J)covers itself with deception,
His wickedness will be (K)revealed in the assembly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:22 Lit chambers of the belly
  2. Proverbs 26:23 Lit dross
  3. Proverbs 26:24 Lit inward part
  4. Proverbs 26:25 Lit his voice is gracious

28 A tongue of deceit hates its victim,
    and a flattering mouth makes ruin.

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28 A lying tongue hates [a]those it crushes,
And a (A)flattering mouth works ruin.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:28 Lit its crushed ones