Wealth attracts many friends,
    but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(A)

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Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

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20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
    but the rich have many friends.(A)

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20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.

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13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth(A) in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.(B)

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13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

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Many curry favor with a ruler,(A)
    and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.(B)

The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
    how much more do their friends avoid them!(C)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
    they are nowhere to be found.[a](D)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.

Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.

All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.

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13 “He has alienated my family(A) from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.(B)
14 My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends(C) have forgotten me.
15 My guests(D) and my female servants(E) count me a foreigner;
    they look on me as on a stranger.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
    though I beg him with my own mouth.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife;
    I am loathsome(F) to my own family.

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13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.

14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.

15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.

17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.

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15 But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,(A)
    as the streams that overflow
16 when darkened by thawing ice
    and swollen with melting snow,(B)
17 but that stop flowing in the dry season,
    and in the heat(C) vanish from their channels.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes;
    they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema(D) look for water,
    the traveling merchants of Sheba(E) look in hope.
20 They are distressed, because they had been confident;
    they arrive there, only to be disappointed.(F)
21 Now you too have proved to be of no help;
    you see something dreadful and are afraid.(G)
22 Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
    pay a ransom(H) for me from your wealth,(I)
23 deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
    rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?(J)

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15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

17 What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.

21 For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

22 Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

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15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,(A)
    but poverty is the ruin of the poor.(B)

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15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

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