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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 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise.
    When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.

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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”

A fool has no delight in understanding,
    but only in revealing his own 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”

A fool’s lips come into strife,
    and his mouth invites beatings.
A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.

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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 is the poor who walks in his integrity
    than he who is perverse in his lips and is 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 Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool,
    much less for a servant to have 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 Penalties are prepared for scoffers,
    and beatings 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 an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.

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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 a fool,
    for he will despise the wisdom of your 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 too high for a fool.
    He doesn’t open his mouth 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 summer, and as rain in harvest,
    so honor is not fitting 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 is for the horse,
    a bridle for the donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools!
Don’t answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest you also be like him.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be wise in his own eyes.
One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
    is cutting off feet and drinking violence.
Like the legs of the lame that hang loose,
    so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
As one who binds a stone in a sling,
    so is he who gives honor to a fool.
Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard,
    so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 As an archer who wounds all,
    so is he who hires a fool
    or he who hires those who pass by.
11 As a dog that returns to his vomit,
    so is a fool who repeats 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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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 is a burden;
    but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

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