26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.

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26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor, but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

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26 The righteous choose their friends carefully,
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.(A)

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

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20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

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20 Walk with the wise and become wise,
    for a companion of fools suffers harm.(A)

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Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of (A)knowledge.

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Go from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

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Stay away from a fool,
    for you will not find knowledge on their lips.

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17 (A)A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.

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17 A friend is loving at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

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17 A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(A)

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24 A man who has friends [a]must himself be friendly,
(A)But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:24 So with Gr. mss., Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT may come to ruin

24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

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24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.(A)

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Do Not Envy Evil Men

24 Do not be (A)envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;
For their heart devises violence,
And their lips talk of troublemaking.

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24 Be thou not envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;

for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

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Saying 20

24 Do not envy(A) the wicked,
    do not desire their company;
for their hearts plot violence,(B)
    and their lips talk about making trouble.(C)

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16 Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

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16 Hast thou found honey? Eat only so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith and vomit it.

17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbor’s house, lest he be weary of thee and so come to hate thee.

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16 If you find honey, eat just enough—
    too much of it, and you will vomit.(A)
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
    too much of you, and they will hate you.

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Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.

Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by [a]hearty counsel.

10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
(A)Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:9 Lit. counsel of the soul

As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man who wandereth from his place.

Ointment and perfume make the heart rejoice; so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by counsel from the heart.

10 Thine own friend and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go to thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity; for better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.

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Like a bird that flees its nest(A)
    is anyone who flees from home.

Perfume(B) and incense bring joy to the heart,
    and the pleasantness of a friend
    springs from their heartfelt advice.

10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
    and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster(C) strikes you—
    better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

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24 Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
(A)He [a]swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:24 Lit. hears the adjuration or oath

24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul; he heareth cursings, but revealeth it not.

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24 The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
    they are put under oath and dare not testify.(A)

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