When a man's folly (A)brings his way to ruin,
    his heart (B)rages against the Lord.

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People’s own folly corrupts their way,
    but their hearts rage against the Lord.

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It is an honor for a man to (A)keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.

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

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20 (A)Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,
    but a foolish man (B)devours it.

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20 Precious treasure and oil stay in the home of the wise,
    but fools swallow them up.

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15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but (A)the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

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15 Folly is bound up in a child’s heart;
    the rod of discipline removes it.

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26 Like snow in summer or (A)rain in harvest,
    so (B)honor is (C)not fitting for a fool.
Like (D)a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
    (E)a curse that is causeless does not alight.
(F)A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and (G)a rod for the back of fools.
(H)Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself.
(I)Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be (J)wise in his own eyes.
Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
    cuts off his own feet and (K)drinks violence.
Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless,
    is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like one who binds the stone in the sling
    is (L)one who gives honor to a fool.
Like (M)a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
    is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone
    is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.[a]
11 Like (N)a dog that returns to his vomit
    is (O)a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is (P)wise in his own eyes?
    (Q)There is more hope for a fool than for him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:10 Or hires a fool or passersby

26 Like snow in the summer or rain at harvest,
    so honor isn’t appropriate for a fool.
Like a darting sparrow, like a flying swallow,
    so an undeserved curse never arrives.
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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26 Whoever (A)trusts in his own mind is a fool,
    but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

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26 Those who trust in their own reasoning are fools,
    but those who walk in wisdom will be kept safe.

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11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
    but a wise man quietly holds it back.

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11 Fools show all their anger,
    but the wise hold it back.

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32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,
    or if you have been devising evil,
    (A)put your hand on your mouth.

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32 If you’ve been foolish and arrogant,
    if you’ve been scheming,
    put your hand to your mouth,

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