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Riches won’t help on the day of judgment,
    but right living can save you from death.

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Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath,
but righteousness rescues from death.(A)

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16 A gracious woman gains respect,
    but ruthless men gain only wealth.

17 Your kindness will reward you,
    but your cruelty will destroy you.

18 Evil people get rich for the moment,
    but the reward of the godly will last.

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16 A gracious woman gains honor,
but violent[a] people gain only riches.

17 A kind man benefits himself,(A)
but a cruel person brings ruin on himself.(B)

18 The wicked person earns an empty wage,
but the one who sows righteousness, a true reward.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 11:16 Or ruthless

28 Trust in your money and down you go!
    But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.

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28 Anyone trusting in his riches will fall,(A)
but the righteous will flourish like foliage.(B)

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11 Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears;
    wealth from hard work grows over time.

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11 Wealth obtained by fraud will dwindle,(A)
but whoever earns it through labor[a] will multiply it.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 13:11 Lit whoever gathers upon his hand

16 Better to have little, with fear for the Lord,
    than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.

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16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure with turmoil.(A)

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27 Greed brings grief to the whole family,
    but those who hate bribes will live.

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27 The one who profits dishonestly(A) troubles his household,
but the one who hates bribes will live.(B)

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A bribe is like a lucky charm;
    whoever gives one will prosper!

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A bribe(A) seems like a magic stone to its owner;
wherever he turns, he succeeds.(B)

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17 Stolen bread tastes sweet,
    but it turns to gravel in the mouth.

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17 Food gained by fraud is sweet to a person,(A)
but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.(B)

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21 An inheritance obtained too early in life
    is not a blessing in the end.

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21 An inheritance gained prematurely
will not be blessed ultimately.(A)

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Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,
    but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

Wealth created by a lying tongue
    is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.[a]

The violence of the wicked sweeps them away,
    because they refuse to do what is just.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:6 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads mist for those who seek death.

The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.(A)

Making a fortune through a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist,[a] a pursuit of death.[b][c](B)

The violence of the wicked sweeps them away
because they refuse to act justly.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:6 Or a breath blown away
  2. 21:6 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg read a snare of death
  3. 21:6 Lit is vanity, ones seeking death

14 A secret gift calms anger;
    a bribe under the table pacifies fury.

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14 A secret gift soothes anger,
and a covert bribe, fierce rage.(A)

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Better to be poor and honest
    than to be dishonest and rich.

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Better the poor person who lives with integrity(A)
than the rich one who distorts right and wrong.[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. 28:6 Lit who twists two ways