26 The righteous person is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

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26 The righteous offer guidance to their neighbors,[a]
    but the path of the wicked makes them wander.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:26 Heb uncertain

20 (A)One who walks with wise people will be wise,
But a companion of fools will suffer harm.

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20 Walk with wise people and become wise;
    befriend fools and get in trouble.

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Leave the (A)presence of a fool,
Or you will not [a]discern [b]words of knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:7 Lit know
  2. Proverbs 14:7 Lit lips

Stay away from fools,
    for you won’t learn wise speech there.

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

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

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24 A person of too many friends comes to [a]ruin,
But there is (A)a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:24 Lit be broken in pieces

24 There are persons for companionship,
    but then there are friends who are more loyal than family.

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Precepts and Warnings

24 Do not be (A)envious of evil people,
Nor desire to (B)be with them;
For their [a]minds plot (C)violence,
And their lips (D)talk of trouble.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:2 Lit hearts

24 Don’t envy evil people,
    and don’t long to be with them.
Their hearts are focused on violence,
    and their lips speak of trouble.

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16 Have you (A)found honey? Eat only [a]what you need,
So that you do not have it in excess and vomit it.
17 Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Or he will become [b]weary of you and hate you.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:16 Lit your sufficiency
  2. Proverbs 25:17 Lit surfeited with

16 If you find honey, eat just the right amount;
    otherwise, you’ll get full and vomit it up.
17 Don’t spend too much time in your neighbor’s house.
    Otherwise, they’ll get fed up with you and hate you.

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Like a (A)bird that wanders from its nest,
So is a person who (B)wanders from his [a]home.
(C)Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
And a [b]person’s advice is sweet to his friend.
10 Do not abandon your (D)friend or (E)your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house on the day of your disaster;
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:8 Lit place
  2. Proverbs 27:9 Lit soul’s

Like a bird wandering from its nest,
    so is one who wanders from home.
Oil and incense make the heart glad,
    and the sweetness of friends comes from their advice.[a]
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.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:9 Heb uncertain

24 One who is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
He (A)hears the oath but tells nothing.

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24 Those who share plunder with thieves hate themselves;
    even under oath, they don’t testify.

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