The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge;(A)
fools despise wisdom and discipline.(B)

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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.(A)

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22 “How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers(A) enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?(B)

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22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
    and fools hate knowledge?(A)

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32 For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them,(A)
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

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32 For waywardness kills the simple,
    and the complacency of fools destroys them;(A)

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Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced;
develop common sense, you who are foolish.

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O simple ones, learn prudence;
    acquire intelligence, you who lack it.(A)

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13 Folly is a rowdy woman;(A)
she is gullible and knows nothing.(B)
14 She sits by the doorway of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who go straight ahead on their paths:(C)
16 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense, she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten secretly is tasty!” (D)
18 But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there,(E)
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.(F)

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Folly’s Invitation and Promise

13 The foolish woman is loud;
    she is ignorant and knows nothing.(A)
14 She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the high places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
    who are going straight on their way,
16 “You who are simple, turn in here!”
    And to those without sense she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
    and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”(B)
18 But they do not know that the dead[a] are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 9.18 Heb shades

A wise heart accepts commands,(A)
but foolish lips will be destroyed.

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The wise of heart will heed commandments,
    but one with foolish lips will come to ruin.(A)

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18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever spreads slander is a fool.(A)

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18 Lying lips conceal hatred,
    and whoever utters slander is a fool.

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23 As shameful conduct is pleasure for a fool,(A)
so wisdom is for a person of understanding.

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23 Doing wrong is like sport to a fool,
    but wise conduct is pleasure to a person of understanding.(A)

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29 The one who brings ruin on his household(A)
will inherit the wind,(B)
and a fool will be a slave
to someone whose heart is wise.

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29 Those who trouble their households will inherit wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise.

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15 A fool’s way is right in his own eyes,(A)
but whoever listens to counsel is wise.

16 A fool’s displeasure is known at once,
but whoever ignores an insult is sensible.(B)

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15 Fools think their own way is right,
    but the wise listen to advice.(A)
16 Fools show their anger at once,
    but the prudent ignore an insult.(B)

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23 A shrewd person conceals knowledge,
but a foolish heart publicizes stupidity.(A)

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23 One who is clever conceals knowledge,
    but the mind of a fool[a] broadcasts folly.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 12.23 Heb the heart of fools

16 Every sensible person acts knowledgeably,
but a fool displays his stupidity.(A)

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16 The clever do all things intelligently,
    but the fool displays folly.(A)

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