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19 It is pleasant to see dreams come true,
    but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.

20 Walk with the wise and become wise;
    associate with fools and get in trouble.

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19 It is pleasant to see plans develop. That is why fools refuse to give them up even when they are wrong.

20 Be with wise men and become wise. Be with evil men and become evil.

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Stay away from fools,
    for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.

The prudent understand where they are going,
    but fools deceive themselves.

Fools make fun of guilt,
    but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.

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If you are looking for advice, stay away from fools.

The wise man looks ahead. The fool attempts to fool himself and won’t face facts.

The common bond of rebels is their guilt.[a] The common bond of godly people is goodwill.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:9 The common bond of rebels is their guilt, or “Fools make a mock at sin.” The Hebrew is obscure.

16 The wise are cautious[a] and avoid danger;
    fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.

17 Short-tempered people do foolish things,
    and schemers are hated.

18 Simpletons are clothed with foolishness,[b]
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:16 Hebrew The wise fear.
  2. 14:18 Or inherit foolishness.

16 A wise man is cautious and avoids danger; a fool plunges ahead with great confidence.

17 A short-tempered man is a fool. He hates the man who is patient.

18 The simpleton is crowned with folly; the wise man is crowned with knowledge.

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29 People with understanding control their anger;
    a hot temper shows great foolishness.

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29 A wise man controls his temper. He knows that anger causes mistakes.

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Only a fool despises a parent’s[a] discipline;
    whoever learns from correction is wise.

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Footnotes

  1. 15:5 Hebrew father’s.

Only a fool despises his father’s advice; a wise son considers each suggestion.

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14 A wise person is hungry for knowledge,
    while the fool feeds on trash.

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14 A wise man is hungry for truth, while the mocker feeds on trash.

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10 A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding
    than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.

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10 A rebuke to a man of common sense is more effective than a hundred lashes on the back of a rebel.

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16 It is senseless to pay to educate a fool,
    since he has no heart for learning.

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16 It is senseless to pay tuition to educate a rebel who has no heart for truth.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:16 no heart for truth, literally, “no heart.”

24 Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom,
    but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

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24 Wisdom is the main pursuit of sensible men, but a fool’s goals are at the ends of the earth!

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28 Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent;
    with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

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27-28 The man of few words and settled mind is wise; therefore, even a fool is thought to be wise when he is silent. It pays him to keep his mouth shut.

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Fools have no interest in understanding;
    they only want to air their own opinions.

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A rebel doesn’t care about the facts. All he wants to do is yell.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:2 yell, literally, “express his opinion.”

13 Spouting off before listening to the facts
    is both shameful and foolish.

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13 What a shame—yes, how stupid!—to decide before knowing the facts!

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