16 A man's (A)gift makes room for him
    and brings him before the great.

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16 A person’s gift opens doors[a] for him
and brings him before the great.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 18:16 Lit gift makes room

16 A gift(A) opens the way
    and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

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Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence
    or stand in the place of the great,
for (A)it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
    than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

What your eyes have seen

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Don’t boast about yourself before the king,
and don’t stand in the place of the great;
for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!”
than to demote you in plain view of a noble.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 25:7 Lit you before a noble whom your eyes see

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
    and do not claim a place among his great men;
it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”(A)
    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

What you have seen with your eyes

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