11 An evil person desires only rebellion;
a cruel messenger[a](A) will be sent against him.

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Footnotes

  1. 17:11 Or a merciless angel

11 A rebellious person seeks only evil,
So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

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19 One who loves to offend loves strife;(A)
one who builds a high threshold invites injury.

20 One with a twisted mind will not succeed,
and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.(B)

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19 One who (A)loves wrongdoing loves strife;
One who (B)makes his doorway high seeks destruction.
20 One who has a crooked [a]mind (C)finds nothing good,
And one who is [b](D)corrupted in his language falls into evil.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:20 Lit heart
  2. Proverbs 17:20 Lit altered in his tongue

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 in the presence of one who has understanding,
But the (A)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

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18 One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires;
he rebels against all sound wisdom.

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

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Footnotes

  1. 18:2 Lit to uncover his heart

Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

18 One who separates himself seeks his own desire;
He [a](A)quarrels against all sound wisdom.
A fool does not delight in understanding,
But (B)in revealing his own [b]mind.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:1 Lit breaks out
  2. Proverbs 18:2 Lit heart

14 “It’s worthless, it’s worthless!” the buyer says,
but after he is on his way, he gloats.

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14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.

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29 A wicked person puts on a bold face,(A)
but the upright one considers his way.

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29 A wicked person [a](A)displays a bold face,
But as for the (B)upright, he makes his way sure.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:29 Lit makes firm with his face

10 Drive out a mocker,(A) and conflict goes too;
then quarreling and dishonor will cease.(B)

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10 (A)Drive out the scoffer, and strife will leave,
Even quarreling and dishonor will cease.

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The one who sows injustice will reap disaster,(A)
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

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One who (A)sows injustice will reap disaster,
And the (B)rod of his fury will perish.

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26 Don’t be one of those who enter agreements,[a]
who put up security for loans.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 22:26 Lit Don’t be among hand slappers

26 Do not be among those who (A)shake hands,
Among those who become guarantors for debts.

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23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
consider carefully what[a] is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
if you have a big[b] appetite;
don’t desire his choice food,(A)
for that food is deceptive.

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Footnotes

  1. 23:1 Or who
  2. 23:2 Lit you are the master of an

On Life and Conduct

23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
Consider carefully [a]what is before you,
And put a knife to your throat
If you are a (A)person of great appetite.
Do not (B)desire his delicacies,
For it is deceptive food.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:1 Or who

Don’t eat a stingy person’s bread,[a](A)
and don’t desire his choice food,(B)
for it’s like someone calculating inwardly.[b](C)
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.(D)
You will vomit the little you’ve eaten
and waste your pleasant words.

Don’t speak to[c] a fool,
for he will despise the insight of your words.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 23:6 Lit eat bread of an evil eye
  2. 23:7 LXX reads it is like someone swallowing a hair in the throat
  3. 23:9 Lit in the ears of

(A)Do not eat the bread of [a]a (B)selfish person;
Or desire his delicacies;
For as he [b]thinks within himself, so he is.
He says to you, “Eat and drink!”
But (C)his heart is not with you.
You will (D)vomit up [c]the morsel you have eaten
And waste your [d]compliments.

(E)Do not speak [e]to be heard by a fool,
For he will (F)despise the wisdom of your words.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:6 Lit an evil eye
  2. Proverbs 23:7 Lit reckons in his soul
  3. Proverbs 23:8 Lit your
  4. Proverbs 23:8 Lit pleasant words
  5. Proverbs 23:9 Lit in the ears of a

The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand(A)
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.(B)

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One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Chops off his own feet and drinks violence.

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