26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.

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26 A righteous person will seek out his neighbor,
    but the way of the wicked will lead them astray.

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20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

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20 Walk with the wise and be wise,
    but as for the companion of fools, he will suffer harm.

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Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of (A)knowledge.

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Leave the presence of a foolish man,[a]
    for you will not come to know words of knowledge.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:7 Literally “from the presence belonging to a man of foolishness”
  2. Proverbs 14:7 Literally “lips of knowledge”

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

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17 The friend loves at all times[a],
    but a brother is born for adversity.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:17 Hebrew “time”

24 A man who has friends [a]must himself be friendly,
(A)But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:24 So with Gr. mss., Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT may come to ruin

24 A man of many friends will come to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

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Do Not Envy Evil Men

24 Do not be (A)envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;
For their heart devises violence,
And their lips talk of troublemaking.

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24 Do not envy men of evil,
    and do not desire to be with them.
For their minds will devise violence,
    and their lips will speak mischief.

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16 Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

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16 If you find honey, eat what is sufficient for you,
    lest you have your fill of it and vomit it out.
17 Make your foot scarce in the house of your neighbor,
    lest he become weary of you and hate you.

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Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.

Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by [a]hearty counsel.

10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
(A)Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:9 Lit. counsel of the soul

Like a bird that strays from its nest,
    so is a man who strays from his place.
Perfume and incense will gladden a heart,
    and the pleasantness of one’s friend is personal advice.[a]
10 As for your friend and a friend of your father, do not forsake them,
    and the house of your brother, do not enter on the day of your calamity.
    Better is a close neighbor than a distant brother.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:9 Literally “because of advice of a person”

24 Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
(A)He [a]swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:24 Lit. hears the adjuration or oath

24 Being a partner with a thief is hating one’s life;[a]
    a curse he will hear, but not disclose.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:24 Or “soul,” or “inner self”