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23 Like the glaze[a] covering an earthen vessel
    are smooth[b] lips with an evil heart.
24 An enemy dissembles in speaking
    while harboring deceit within;(A)
25 when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it,
    for there are seven abominations concealed within;(B)
26 though hatred is covered with guile,
    the enemy’s wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 26.23 Cn: Heb silver of dross
  2. 26.23 Gk: Heb burning

23 Fervent[a] lips and an evil heart
are like a glaze[b] covering a clay pot.
24 With his lips a person hides his hatred,
but he hides deceit inside.
25 When his voice sounds gracious, do not believe him,
because seven abominations are in his heart.
26 His hatred covers itself with deceit,
but his evil will be revealed in the assembly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:23 The translation follows the Hebrew. The Greek Old Testament reads smooth.
  2. Proverbs 26:23 The Hebrew text reads silver dross. Combining two Hebrew words into one word yields the translation glaze.

Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
    but those who keep the law struggle against them.(A)

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Those who abandon the law[a] praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law oppose them.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:4 Or instruction or teaching

The righteous know the rights of the poor;
    the wicked have no such understanding.(A)

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A righteous person acknowledges the rights of the poor,
but a wicked person does not understand such knowledge.

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12 If a ruler listens to falsehood,
    all his officials will be wicked.

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12 If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.

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