The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,(A)
    but the Lord tests the heart.(B)

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Remove the dross from the silver,
    and a silversmith can produce a vessel;

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23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
    are fervent[a] lips with an evil heart.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth

18 “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross(A) to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace.(B) They are but the dross of silver.(C) 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have all become dross,(D) I will gather you into Jerusalem. 20 As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you.(E) 21 I will gather you and I will blow(F) on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her.(G) 22 As silver is melted(H) in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath(I) on you.’”(J)

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29 The bellows blow fiercely
    to burn away the lead with fire,
but the refining(A) goes on in vain;
    the wicked are not purged out.

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30 They are called rejected silver,(A)
    because the Lord has rejected them.”(B)

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