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15 A ·gentle [soft; tender] answer ·will calm a person’s anger [L turns back/T away wrath],
but an ·unkind [painful; sharp] answer ·will cause more [raises] anger.

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Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

15 A (A)gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a [a](B)harsh word stirs up anger.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:1 Lit painful

18 People with quick tempers cause ·trouble [conflict],
but ·those who control their tempers [patient people] stop ·a quarrel [accusations].

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18 A (A)hot-tempered person stirs up strife,
But the (B)slow to anger (C)calms a dispute.

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32 Patience is better than strength [or A patient person is better than a warrior].
Controlling your temper is better than capturing a city.

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32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And one who rules his spirit, than one who captures a city.

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17 It is better to eat a dry crust of bread in ·peace [quiet]
than to have a feast where there is ·quarreling [strife; contention].

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Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

17 (A)Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of [a]feasting with strife.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:1 Lit sacrifices of strife

14 Starting a quarrel is like ·a leak in a dam [L letting out water],
so ·stop it [hold back an accusation] before a fight breaks out.

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14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
So (A)abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.

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19 Whoever loves to argue loves to sin.
Whoever ·brags a lot is asking for trouble [L builds a high doorway is seeking a collapse].

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19 One who (A)loves wrongdoing loves strife;
One who (B)makes his doorway high seeks destruction.

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27 The wise ·say very little [restrain/hold back their talk],
and those with understanding stay ·calm [coolheaded].

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27 One who (A)withholds his words [a]has knowledge,
And one who has a (B)cool spirit is a person of understanding.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:27 Lit knows

18 Throwing lots can settle arguments
and ·keep the two sides from fighting [is decisive against powerful people].

19 A brother who has been ·insulted [offended] is harder to win back than a walled city,
and arguments separate people like the barred gates of a palace.

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18 The cast (A)lot puts an end to quarrels,
And [a]decides between the mighty ones.
19 A brother who is offended is harder to be won than a strong city,
And quarrels are like the bars of a citadel.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:18 Lit makes a division

11 The ·wise [insightful] ·are patient [L hold in their anger];
they will be ·honored [praised; glorified] if they ignore ·insults [offenses].

12 An angry king is like a ·roaring [growling] lion,
but his ·kindness [favor] is like the dew on the grass.

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11 A person’s (A)discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory (B)to overlook an offense.
12 A (C)king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like (D)dew on the grass.

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19 People with quick tempers will have to pay for it.
If you ·help them out once [rescue them], you will have to do it again.

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19 A person of great anger will suffer the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.

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Foolish people are always fighting,
but ·avoiding quarrels [backing away from an accusation] will bring you ·honor [glory; praise].

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(A)Avoiding strife is an honor for a person,
But any fool will [a]quarrel.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:3 Lit burst out

22 Don’t say, “I’ll pay you back for the wrong you did.”
Wait for the Lord, and he will ·make things right [save you; Rom. 12:17–20].

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22 (A)Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
(B)Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.

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