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General Maxims

Whoever corrects a scoffer wins abuse;
    whoever rebukes the wicked gets hurt.(A)
Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you;
    rebuke the wise, and he will love you.(B)
Give instruction[a] to the wise, and they will become wiser still;
    teach the righteous, and they will gain in learning.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 9.9 Heb lacks instruction

One who (A)corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And one who rebukes a wicked person gets [a]insults for himself.
(B)Do not rebuke a scoffer, or he will hate you;
(C)Rebuke a wise person and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise person and he will become still wiser;
Teach a righteous person and he will (D)increase his insight.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:7 Lit a blemish

10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,
    but one who rebukes boldly makes peace.[a](A)
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 10.10 Gk: Heb but one with foolish lips will come to ruin

10 He (A)who winks the eye causes trouble,
And [a](B)a babbling fool will come to ruin.
11 The (C)mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
But (D)the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:10 Lit the foolish of lips

13 On the lips of one who has understanding wisdom is found,
    but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.(A)
14 The wise lay up knowledge,
    but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

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13 On (A)the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,
But (B)a rod is for the back of him who has no [a]sense.
14 Wise people (C)store up knowledge,
But with (D)the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:13 Lit heart

13 On the lips of one who has understanding wisdom is found,
    but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.(A)
14 The wise lay up knowledge,
    but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

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13 On (A)the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,
But (B)a rod is for the back of him who has no [a]sense.
14 Wise people (C)store up knowledge,
But with (D)the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:13 Lit heart

13 A gossip goes about telling secrets,
    but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.(A)

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13 One (A)who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
But one who is [a]trustworthy (B)conceals a matter.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:13 Lit faithful of spirit

13 The evil are ensnared by the transgression of their lips,
    but the righteous escape from trouble.(A)
14 From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things,
    and manual labor has its reward.(B)

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13 [a]An evil person is ensnared by the offense of his lips,
But the (A)righteous will escape from trouble.
14 A person will be (B)satisfied with good by the fruit of his [b]words,
And the (C)deeds of a person’s hands will return to him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:13 Lit In the offense of the lips is an evil snare
  2. Proverbs 12:14 Lit mouth

16 Fools show their anger at once,
    but the prudent ignore an insult.(A)
17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
    but a false witness speaks deceitfully.(B)
18 Rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.(C)
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.(D)

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16 A (A)fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent person conceals dishonor.
17 One who declares truth tells what is right,
But a false witness, deceit.
18 There is one who (B)speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the (C)tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips will endure forever,
But a (D)lying tongue is only for a moment.

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22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
    but those who act faithfully are his delight.(A)
23 One who is clever conceals knowledge,
    but the mind of a fool[a] broadcasts folly.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 12.23 Heb the heart of fools

22 (A)Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.
23 A (B)prudent person conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.

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25 Anxiety weighs down the human heart,
    but a good word cheers it up.(A)

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25 (A)Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down,
But a (B)good word makes it glad.

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From the fruit of their words good persons eat good things,
    but the desire of the treacherous is for wrongdoing.
Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives;
    those who open wide their lips come to ruin.(A)

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From the fruit of a person’s mouth he [a](A)enjoys good,
But the [b]desire of the treacherous is (B)violence.
One who (C)guards his mouth protects his life;
One who (D)opens wide his lips [c]comes to ruin.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:2 Lit eats
  2. Proverbs 13:2 Lit soul
  3. Proverbs 13:3 Lit ruin is his

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 the foolish is a rod for his back,
But (A)the lips of the wise will protect them.

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