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

Read full chapter

17 Friends love all the time,
    and kinsfolk are born for times of trouble.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

22 What is desirable in a person is his fidelity;
better to be a poor person than a liar.(A)

Read full chapter

22 People long for trustworthiness;
    it is better to be poor than a liar.

Read full chapter

22 What a person desires is unfailing love[a];
    better to be poor than a liar.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:22 Or Greed is a person’s shame

Many a person proclaims his own loyalty,
but who can find a trustworthy person?(A)

Read full chapter

Many people will say that they are loyal,
    but who can find a reliable person?

Read full chapter

Many claim to have unfailing love,
    but a faithful person who can find?(A)

Read full chapter

28 Loyalty and faithfulness guard a king;
through loyalty he maintains his throne.

Read full chapter

28 Kindness and faithfulness protect the king;
    he supports his throne by kindness.

Read full chapter

28 Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
    through love(A) his throne is made secure.(B)

Read full chapter

21 The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love
will find life, righteousness, and honor.(A)

Read full chapter

21 Those who pursue righteousness and kindness
    will find life, righteousness, and honor.

Read full chapter

21 Whoever pursues righteousness and love
    finds life, prosperity[a](A) and honor.(B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:21 Or righteousness

The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,(A)
but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.(B)

Read full chapter

Trustworthy are the bruises of a friend;
    excessive are the kisses of an enemy.

Read full chapter

Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
    but an enemy multiplies kisses.(A)

Read full chapter

10 Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend,(A)
and don’t go to your brother’s house
in your time of calamity;
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.(B)

Read full chapter

10 Don’t desert your friend or a friend of your family;
    don’t go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes.
    Better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter