19 Desire fulfilled is sweet to the taste,
but to turn from evil(A)
is an abomination to fools.

20 The one who walks with the wise will become wise,
but a companion of fools will suffer harm.

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19 A desire fulfilled is pleasant,
    but fools find deviating from evil disgusting.
20 Walk with wise people and become wise;
    befriend fools and get in trouble.

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Stay away from a foolish man;
you will gain no knowledge from his speech.(A)

The sensible man’s wisdom is to consider his way,
but the stupidity of fools deceives them.

Fools mock at making restitution,[a]
but there is goodwill among the upright.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:9 Or at guilt offerings

Stay away from fools,
    for you won’t learn wise speech there.
By their wisdom the prudent understand their way,
    but the stupidity of fools deceives them.
Fools mock a compensation offering,
    but favor is with those who do right.

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16 A wise man is cautious and turns from evil,(A)
but a fool is easily angered and is careless.[a]

17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
and a man who schemes is hated.(B)

18 The inexperienced inherit foolishness,
but the sensible are crowned with knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:16 Or and falls

16 The wise are careful and avoid evil,
    but fools become excited and overconfident.
17 Short-tempered people make stupid mistakes,
    and schemers are hated.
18 Stupidity is the lot of the naive,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

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29 A patient person shows great understanding,(A)
but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness.

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29 Patience leads to abundant understanding,
    but impatience leads to stupid mistakes.

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A fool despises his father’s discipline,
but a person who accepts correction is sensible.(A)

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A fool doesn’t like a father’s instruction,
    but those who heed correction are mature.

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14 A discerning mind seeks knowledge,(A)
but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.(B)

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14 An understanding heart seeks knowledge;
    but fools feed on folly.

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10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

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10 A rebuke goes deeper to an understanding person
    than a hundred lashes to a fool.

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16 Why does a fool have money in his hand
with no intention of buying wisdom?(A)

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16 Why should a fool have money
    to pay for wisdom? He has no mind.

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24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,
but a fool’s eyes(A) roam to the ends of the earth.

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24 Wisdom is right in front of those with understanding,
    but the eyes of fools are off to the edges of the earth.

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28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent,
discerning when he seals his lips.(A)

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28 Fools who keep quiet are deemed wise;
    those who shut their lips are smart.

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A fool does not delight in understanding,
but only wants to show off his opinions.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:2 Lit to uncover his heart

Fools find no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing their opinion.

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13 The one who gives an answer before he listens—
this is foolishness and disgrace for him.(A)

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13 Those who answer before they listen
    are foolish and disgraceful.

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