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19 A desire realized is sweet to the soul,
    but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools suffers harm.(A)

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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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Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not find words of knowledge.
It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go,
    but the folly of fools misleads.(A)
Fools mock at the guilt offering,[a]
    but the upright enjoy God’s favor.

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Footnotes

  1. 14.9 Meaning of Heb uncertain

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 The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,
    but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.(A)
17 One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly,
    and the schemer is hated.(B)
18 The simple are adorned with[a] folly,
    but the clever are crowned with knowledge.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 14.18 Or inherit

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 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.(A)

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

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A fool despises a parent’s instruction,
    but the one who heeds admonition is prudent.(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 The mind of one who has understanding seeks knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

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

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10 A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person
    than a hundred blows 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 should fools have a price in hand
    to buy wisdom when they have no mind to learn?

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

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24 The discerning person looks to wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.(A)

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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 fools who keep silent are considered wise;
    when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.(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 takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing personal opinion.(A)

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

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13 If one gives answer before hearing,
    it is folly and shame.(A)

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

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