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10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul,

11 discretion shall preserve thee, and understanding shall keep thee,

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10 For wisdom will enter your heart,(A)
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
    and understanding will guard you.(B)

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20 Thus thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep to the paths of the righteous.

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20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.

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14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men;

15 avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it and pass away.

16 For they sleep not unless they have done mischief, and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

19 The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.

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14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
    or walk in the way of evildoers.(A)
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
    turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;(B)
    they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.(C)

18 The path of the righteous(D) is like the morning sun,(E)
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.(F)
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;(G)
    they do not know what makes them stumble.(H)

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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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28 A froward man soweth strife, and a whisperer separateth closest friends.

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28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,(A)
    and a gossip separates close friends.(B)

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12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her whelps, rather than a fool in his folly.

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12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
    than a fool bent on folly.(A)

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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 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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Wealth maketh many friends, but the poor is separated from his neighbor.

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

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Many will entreat the favor of the prince, and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.

All the brethren of the poor hate him—how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursueth them with words, yet they are not forthcoming to him.

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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.

19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

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19 A gossip betrays a confidence;(A)
    so avoid anyone who talks too much.

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24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go,

25 lest thou learn his ways and get a snare for thy soul.

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Saying 3

24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
    do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
    and get yourself ensnared.(A)

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17 Let not thine heart envy sinners, but be thou in fear of the Lord all the day long.

18 For surely there is a reward, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

20 Be not among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh;

21 for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

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Saying 15

17 Do not let your heart envy(A) sinners,
    but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off.(B)

Saying 16

19 Listen, my son,(C) and be wise,
    and set your heart on the right path:
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine(D)
    or gorge themselves on meat,
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,(E)
    and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

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