A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.

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The bribe is a stone of magic in the eyes of its owner;[a]
    everywhere[b] he will turn, he will prosper.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:8 Or “master”
  2. Proverbs 17:8 Literally “to all which”

23 A wicked man accepts a bribe [a]behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:23 Under cover, lit. from the bosom

23 The wicked will accept a bribe from the lap,
    in order to pervert the ways of justice.

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21 (A)An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning
(B)Will not be blessed at the end.

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21 An inheritance acquired hastily at the beginning[a]
    will not be blessed at its end.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:21 Literally “at the first”

(A)To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

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Doing righteousness and justice is more acceptable
    to Yahweh than sacrifice.

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(A)Getting treasures by a lying tongue
[a]Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

The violence of the wicked will [b]destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.

The way of [c]a guilty man is perverse;
But as for the pure, his work is right.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:6 LXX Pursue vanity on the snares of death; Vg. Is vain and foolish, and shall stumble on the snares of death; Tg. They shall be destroyed, and they shall fall who seek death
  2. Proverbs 21:7 Lit. drag them away
  3. Proverbs 21:8 Or The way of a man is perverse and strange;

He who makes treasure by a lying tongue
    is a fleeting vapor and seeker[a] of death.
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
    for they refuse to do justice.
Crooked is the way of a man and a foreigner,
    but the pure is upright in his conduct.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:6 Hebrew “seekers”

22 Do not rob the (A)poor because he is poor,
Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
23 (B)For the Lord will plead their cause,
And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

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22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
    and do not crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 For Yahweh will plead their case
    and despoil those who despoil them of life.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:23 Or “soul,” or “inner self”

Further Sayings of the Wise

23 These things also belong to the wise:

(A)It is not good to [a]show partiality in judgment.
24 (B)He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Him the people will curse;
Nations will abhor him.
25 But those who rebuke the wicked will have (C)delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.

26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:23 Lit. recognize faces

23 These sayings are also for the wise:
    Partiality[a] in judgment is not good.
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are righteous,” the people will curse him;
    the nations will abhor him.
25 But they who rebuke will have delight,
    and upon them blessings of goodness will come.
26 He will kiss the lips,
    he who gives an honest answer.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:23 Literally “acknowledge faces”

(A)A poor man who oppresses the poor
Is like a driving rain [a]which leaves no food.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:3 Lit. and there is no bread

A man who is poor and oppresses the impoverished
    is a beating rain that leaves[a] no food.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:3 Literally “and there is”

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

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Better to be poor and walking in one’s integrity
    than to be crooked of ways when one is rich.

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One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.

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He who augments his wealth with interest and with usury
    gathers it for him who is kind to the poor.

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(A)Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are [a]appointed to die.
Open your mouth, (B)judge righteously,
And (C)plead the cause of the poor and needy.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:8 Lit. sons of passing away

Open your mouth for the mute,
    for the rights[a] of all the needy.[b]
Open your mouth, judge righteousness,
    and defend the poor and needy.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:8 Hebrew “right”
  2. Proverbs 31:8 Literally “the sons of the needy”