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Wealth brings many friends,
    but the poor are left friendless.(A)

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

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

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

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13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant region, and there he squandered his wealth in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that region, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that region, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.

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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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Many seek the favor of the generous,
    and everyone is a friend to a giver of gifts.(A)
If the poor are hated even by their kin,
    how much more are they shunned by their friends!
When they call after them, they are not there.[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. 19.7 Meaning of Heb uncertain

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.

13 “He has put my family far from me,
    and my acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.
14 My relatives and my close friends have failed me;
15     the guests in my house have forgotten me;
my female servants count me as a stranger;
    I have become an alien in their eyes.(A)
16 I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer;
    I must myself plead with him.
17 My breath is repulsive to my wife;
    I am loathsome to my own family.

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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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15 My companions are treacherous like a torrent bed,
    like swollen streams that pass away,(A)
16 that run dark with ice,
    turbid with melting snow.
17 In time of heat they disappear;
    when it is hot, they vanish from their place.(B)
18 The caravans turn aside from their course;
    they go up into the waste and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema look;
    the travelers of Sheba hope.(C)
20 They are disappointed because they were confident;
    they come there and are confounded.(D)
21 Such you have now become to me;[a]
    you see my calamity and are afraid.
22 Have I said, ‘Make me a gift’?
    Or, ‘From your wealth offer a bribe for me’?
23 Or, ‘Save me from an opponent’s hand’?
    Or, ‘Ransom me from the hand of oppressors’?

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Footnotes

  1. 6.21 Cn Compare Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

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 The wealth of the rich is their fortress;
    the poverty of the poor is their ruin.(A)

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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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