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28 Even a fool who keeps silent shall be considered wise;[a]
    he who closes his lips is intelligent.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:28 Literally “wise, he shall be considered”

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

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A fool will not take pleasure in understanding,
    but in expressing his heart.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:2 Or “mind”

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

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The lips of a fool will bring strife,
    and his mouth calls out for a flogging.
The mouth of a fool is ruin to him,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:7 Or “life,” or “inner self”

The lips of fools make accusations;
    their mouths elicit beatings.
The mouth of fools is their ruin;
    their lips are a trap for their lives.

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19 Better a poor person walking in integrity
    than one who is perverse in his speech[a] and is a fool.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:1 Literally “in his lips”

19 Better to be poor and walk in innocence
    than to have dishonest lips and be a fool.

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10 For a fool living in luxury is not fitting,
    any more than it is for a slave to rule over princes.

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10 Luxury isn’t fitting for a fool;
    even less so for a servant to rule over princes.

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29 Judgments[a] are prepared for the scoffers,
    and flogging for the back of fools.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:29 Or “Punishments,” or “Condemnations”

29 Punishments were made for mockers,
    and blows for the backs of fools.

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It is honorable for the man to refrain from strife,
    but every fool will be quick to quarrel.

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It is honorable to back off from a fight,
    but fools jump right in.

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In the ears of a fool do not speak,
    for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

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Don’t speak in the ears of fools,
    for they will scorn your insightful words.

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Wisdom is too high for fools;
    at the gate he will not open his mouth.

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Wisdom is beyond foolish people.
    They don’t open their mouths in the gate.

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26 Like snow in the summer and like rain at the harvest,
    so honor is not fitting for a fool.

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26 Like snow in the summer or rain at harvest,
    so honor isn’t appropriate for a fool.

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A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly
    lest you become like him—even you.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
    or else he will be wise in his own eyes.
Like cutting off feet or drinking violence,
    so is he who sends messages in the hand of a fool.
Like legs that hang limp from a lame person,
    so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like binding a stone in a sling,
    so is giving honor to a fool.
Like a thorn that goes up in the hand of a drunkard,
    so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone,
    so is he who hires a fool or he who hires passersby.
11 Like a dog returning to his vomit
    is a fool reverting to his folly.
12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
    There is more hope for a fool than for him.

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A whip for a horse, a bridle for a donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools.
Don’t answer fools according to their folly,
    or you will become like them yourself.
Answer fools according to their folly,
    or they will deem themselves wise.
Sending messages with a fool
    is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking down violence.
As legs dangle from a disabled person,
    so does a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like tying a stone in a sling,
    so is giving respect to a fool.
Like a thorny bush in the hand of a drunk,
    so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds someone randomly,
    so is one who hires a fool or a passerby.
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit,
    so a fool repeats foolish mistakes.
12 Do you see people who consider themselves wise?
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.

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Heavy is a stone and weighty is sand,
    but the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.

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A stone is heavy and sand weighs much,
    but the nuisance of fools is heavier than both.

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