11 Discretion will protect you,
    and understanding will guard you.(A)

12 Wisdom will save(B) you from the ways of wicked men,
    from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
    to walk in dark ways,(C)
14 who delight in doing wrong
    and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,(D)
15 whose paths are crooked(E)
    and who are devious in their ways.(F)

16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,(G)
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
    and ignored the covenant she made before God.[a](H)
18 Surely her house leads down to death
    and her paths to the spirits of the dead.(I)
19 None who go to her return
    or attain the paths of life.(J)

20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,(K)
    and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked(L) will be cut off from the land,(M)
    and the unfaithful will be torn from it.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:17 Or covenant of her God

11 (A)discretion will (B)watch over you,
    understanding will guard you,
12 delivering you from the way of evil,
    from men of perverted speech,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
    to (C)walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who (D)rejoice in doing evil
    and (E)delight in the perverseness of evil,
15 men whose (F)paths are crooked,
    (G)and who are (H)devious in their ways.

16 So (I)you will be delivered from the forbidden[a] woman,
    from (J)the adulteress[b] with (K)her smooth words,
17 who forsakes (L)the companion of her youth
    and forgets (M)the covenant of her God;
18 (N)for her house sinks down to death,
    and her paths to the departed;[c]
19 none who go to her come back,
    nor do they regain the paths of life.

20 So you will walk in the way of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright (O)will inhabit the land,
    and those with integrity will remain in it,
22 but the wicked will be (P)cut off from the land,
    and the treacherous will be (Q)rooted out of it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:16 Hebrew strange
  2. Proverbs 2:16 Hebrew foreign woman
  3. Proverbs 2:18 Hebrew to the Rephaim

31 Do not envy(A) the violent
    or choose any of their ways.

32 For the Lord detests the perverse(B)
    but takes the upright into his confidence.(C)

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31 (A)Do not envy (B)a man of violence
    and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for (C)the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the upright are (D)in his confidence.

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12 A troublemaker and a villain,
    who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13     who winks maliciously with his eye,(A)
    signals with his feet
    and motions with his fingers,(B)
14     who plots evil(C) with deceit in his heart—
    he always stirs up conflict.(D)
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;(E)
    he will suddenly(F) be destroyed—without remedy.(G)

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12 (A)A worthless person, a wicked man,
    goes about with (B)crooked speech,
13 (C)winks with his eyes, signals[a] with his feet,
    points with his finger,
14 with (D)perverted heart (E)devises evil,
    continually (F)sowing discord;
15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
    (G)in a moment he will be broken (H)beyond healing.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:13 Hebrew scrapes

Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:6 Or righteous, / but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence

Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
    but (A)the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:6 Or but violence covers the mouth of the wicked; also verse 11

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,(A)
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(B)

12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
    but love covers over all wrongs.(C)

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,(D)
    but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.(E)

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11 (A)The mouth of the righteous is (B)a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked (C)conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
    but (D)love covers all offenses.
13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
    but (E)a rod is for the back of him who (F)lacks sense.

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18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips(A)
    and spreads 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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13 A gossip betrays a confidence,(A)
    but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.(B)

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13 Whoever (A)goes about slandering reveals secrets,
    but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

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15 The way of fools seems right to them,(A)
    but the wise listen to advice.(B)

16 Fools(C) show their annoyance at once,(D)
    but the prudent overlook an insult.(E)

17 An honest witness tells the truth,
    but a false witness tells lies.(F)

18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,(G)
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.(H)

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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.
17 (C)Whoever speaks[a] the truth gives honest evidence,
    but (D)a false witness utters deceit.
18 (E)There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings (F)healing.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:17 Hebrew breathes out

16 All who are prudent act with[a] knowledge,
    but fools expose(A) their folly.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:16 Or prudent protect themselves through

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

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27 A scoundrel(A) plots evil,
    and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.(B)

28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,(C)
    and a gossip separates close friends.(D)

29 A violent person entices their neighbor
    and leads them down a path that is not good.(E)

30 Whoever winks(F) with their eye is plotting perversity;
    whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.

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27 (A)A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech[a] is like (B)a scorching fire.
28 (C)A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and (D)a whisperer (E)separates close friends.
29 A man of violence (F)entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans[b] (G)dishonest things;
    he who (H)purses his lips brings evil to pass.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:27 Hebrew what is on his lips
  2. Proverbs 16:30 Hebrew to plan

A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
    a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

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An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

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Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(A)
    but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(B)

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Whoever (A)covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter (B)separates close friends.

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