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

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22 “How long, you [a]simple ones, will you love [b]simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:22 naive
  2. Proverbs 1:22 naivete

32 For the [a]turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:32 waywardness

O you [a]simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:5 naive

The Way of Folly

13 (A)A foolish woman is [a]clamorous;
She is simple, and knows nothing.
14 For she sits at the door of her house,
On a seat (B)by the highest places of the city,
15 To call to those who pass by,
Who go straight on their way:
16 “Whoever(C) is [b]simple, let him turn in here”;
And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
17 “Stolen(D) water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that (E)the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of [c]hell.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:13 boisterous
  2. Proverbs 9:16 naive
  3. Proverbs 9:18 Or Sheol

The wise in heart will receive commands,
(A)But [a]a prating fool will [b]fall.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:8 Lit. the foolish of lips
  2. Proverbs 10:8 be thrust down or ruined

18 Whoever (A)hides hatred has lying lips,
And (B)whoever spreads slander is a fool.

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23 (A)To do evil is like sport to a fool,
But a man of understanding has wisdom.

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29 He who troubles his own house (A)will inherit the wind,
And the fool will be (B)servant to the wise of heart.

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15 (A)The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who heeds counsel is wise.
16 (B)A fool’s wrath is known at once,
But a prudent man covers shame.

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23 (A)A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.

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16 (A)Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool lays open his folly.

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19 A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.

20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

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Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of (A)knowledge.
The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.

(B)Fools mock at [a]sin,
But among the upright there is favor.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:9 Lit. guilt

16 (A)A wise man fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident.
17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of wicked intentions is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

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29 (A)He who is slow to wrath has great understanding,
But he who is [a]impulsive exalts folly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:29 Lit. short of spirit

(A)A fool despises his father’s instruction,
(B)But he who [a]receives correction is prudent.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:5 Lit. keeps

14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

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10 (A)Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
Than a hundred blows on a fool.

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16 Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since he has no heart for it?

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24 (A)Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

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28 (A)Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.

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