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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 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent,
discerning when he seals his lips.(A)

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A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing personal opinion.(A)

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:2 Lit to uncover his heart

A fool’s lips bring strife,
    and a fool’s mouth invites a flogging.
The mouths of fools are their ruin,
    and their lips a snare to themselves.(A)

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A fool’s lips lead to strife,
and his mouth provokes a beating.(A)

A fool’s mouth is his devastation,
and his lips are a trap for his life.(B)

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19 Better the poor walking in integrity
    than one perverse of speech who is a fool.(A)

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19 Better a poor man who lives with integrity(A)
than someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool.

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10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
    much less for a slave to rule over princes.(A)

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10 Luxury is not appropriate for a fool(A)
how much less for a slave to rule over princes!(B)

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29 Punishments are prepared for scoffers
    and flogging for the backs of fools.(A)

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29 Judgments are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.(A)

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It is honorable to refrain from strife,
    but every fool is quick to quarrel.(A)

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It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute,(A)
but any fool can get himself into a quarrel.(B)

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Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
    who will only despise the wisdom of your words.(A)

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:9 Lit in the ears of

Wisdom is too high for fools;
    in the gate they do not open their mouths.(A)

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Wisdom is inaccessible to[a] a fool;(A)
he does not open his mouth at the gate.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:7 Lit is too high for

26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
    so honor is not fitting for a fool.(A)

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26 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,(A)
honor is inappropriate for a fool.(B)

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A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools.(A)
Do not answer fools according to their folly,
    lest you be a fool yourself.(B)
Answer fools according to their folly,
    lest they be wise in their own eyes.(C)
It is like cutting off one’s foot and drinking down violence,
    to send a message by a fool.
The legs of a lame person hang limp;
    so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(D)
It is like binding a stone in a sling
    to give honor to a fool.(E)
Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(F)
10 Like an archer who wounds everybody
    is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.[a]
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit
    is a fool who reverts to his folly.(G)
12 Do you see people wise in their own eyes?
    There is more hope for fools than for them.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. 26.10 Meaning of Heb uncertain

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(A)
and a rod for the backs of fools.(B)
Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness(C)
or you’ll be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his foolishness(D)
or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.(E)
The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand(F)
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.(G)
A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like lame legs that hang limp.
Giving honor to a fool
is like binding a stone in a sling.[a]
A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a stick with thorns,
brandished by[b] the hand of a drunkard.
10 The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by
is like an archer who wounds everyone.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness.(H)
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?(I)
There is more hope for a fool than for him.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:8 A stone bound in a sling would not release and could harm the person using the sling. A modern equivalent is jamming a cork in a gun barrel.
  2. Proverbs 26:9 Lit thorn that goes up into

A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
    but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.(A)

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A stone is heavy and sand, a burden,
but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.

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