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20 ·But wisdom will help you be good [or Stay on the path of good people]
    and ·do what is right [guard the road of the righteous].

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20 
So you will walk in the way of good men [that is, those of personal integrity, moral courage and honorable character],
And keep to the paths of the righteous.

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·Teach [L Give to] the wise, and they will become even wiser;
    ·teach [inform] ·good people [the righteous], and they will ·learn even more [L add to their learning].

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Give instruction to a wise man and he will become even wiser;
Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

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·Good [Righteous] people will have rich blessings,
but the mouth of the wicked ·will be overwhelmed by [or conceals] violence.

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Blessings are on the head of the righteous [the upright, those in right standing with God],
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

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11 The ·words [L mouth] of a ·good [righteous] person ·give life, like a fountain of water [L is a fountain of life],
but the ·words [L mouth] of the wicked ·contain nothing but [conceals] violence.

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11 
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life and his words of wisdom are a source of blessing,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence and evil.

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16 ·Good [Righteous] people are rewarded with life,
but evil people are paid with punishment.

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16 
The wages of the righteous [the upright, those in right standing with God] is [a worthwhile, meaningful] life,
The income of the wicked, punishment.(A)

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20 The ·words [L tongue] of a ·good [righteous] person ·are like pure [is choice] silver,
    but an evil person’s ·thoughts are [L heart is] worth very little.

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20 
The tongue of the righteous is like precious silver (greatly valued);
The heart of the wicked is worth little.

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21 ·Good [Righteous] people’s ·words [L lips] ·will help [L nourish] many others,
    but fools will die because they ·don’t have wisdom [lack sense/heart].

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21 
The lips of the righteous feed and guide many,
But fools [who reject God and His wisdom] die for lack of understanding.

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24 Evil people will get what they fear most,
but ·good [righteous] people will get what they want most.

25 A ·storm [whirlwind] will blow the evil person away,
but a ·good [righteous] person will always ·be safe [L have a firm foundation].

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24 
What the wicked fears will come upon him,
But the desire of the righteous [for the blessings of God] will be granted.
25 
When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.(A)

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28 A ·good [righteous] person can look forward to happiness,
but ·an evil person can expect nothing [L the hope of an evil person will perish].

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28 
The hope of the righteous [those of honorable character and integrity] is joy,
But the expectation of the wicked [those who oppose God and ignore His wisdom] comes to nothing.

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30 ·Good [Righteous] people will ·always be safe [L never be shaken],
but evil people will not ·remain [dwell] in the land.

31 ·A good person says wise things [L The mouth of a righteous person flows with wisdom],
but a ·liar’s [perverse person’s] tongue will be ·stopped [L cut off].

32 ·Good people [L The lips of the wise] know the right thing to say,
but [L the mouth of] evil people only tell ·lies [perversities].

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30 
The [consistently] righteous will never be shaken,
But the wicked will not inhabit the earth.(A)
31 
The mouth of the righteous flows with [skillful and godly] wisdom,
But the perverted tongue will be cut out.
32 
The lips of the righteous know (speak) what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked knows (speaks) what is perverted (twisted).

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The ·good [righteous] person is saved from ·trouble [distress];
it comes to the wicked instead.

With ·words [L their mouth] an ·evil [godless] person can destroy a neighbor,
but a ·good [righteous] person will escape by ·being resourceful [L their knowledge].

10 When ·good [righteous] people ·succeed [flourish], the city is happy.
When evil people ·die [perish], there are shouts of joy.

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[a]The righteous is rescued from trouble,
And the wicked takes his place.

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge and discernment the righteous will be rescued.
10 
When it goes well for the righteous, the city rejoices,
And when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:8 The famous eleventh-century rabbi known as Rashi told a fable illustrating this verse. He said that a fox once told a wolf to come with him and he would give him abundant food. It was night, and the fox led the wolf to a well with a bucket at each end of the rope. The fox got into the bucket at the top of the well and rode down to the bottom. When the wolf asked him what he was doing, the fox pointed to the reflection of the moon in the water and said, “There is plenty of cheese and meat down here. Get in the other bucket and come down right away!” The wolf did, and as he went down the fox was pulled up in the first bucket. When the fox got to the top, the wolf said, “How am I supposed to get out?” Thereupon the fox quoted this verse to him.

23 Those who do right only wish for good,
but the wicked can ·expect to be defeated by God’s [L hope only for] anger.

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23 
The desire of the righteous brings only good,
But the expectation of the wicked brings wrath.

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