17 who has left the partner of her youth
    and ignored the covenant she made before God.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:17 Or covenant of her God

17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
    whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.(A)

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20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil,
    but fools gulp theirs down.

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20 Do not join those who drink too much wine(A)
    or gorge themselves on meat,
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,(B)
    and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

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A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,(A)
    but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.(B)

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24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
    another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

25 A generous(A) person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.(B)

26 People curse the one who hoards grain,
    but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.

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16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
    and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

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14 Like clouds and wind without rain
    is one who boasts of gifts never given.

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Warnings Against Folly

My son,(A) if you have put up security(B) for your neighbor,(C)
    if you have shaken hands in pledge(D) for a stranger,
you have been trapped by what you said,
    ensnared by the words of your mouth.
So do this, my son, to free yourself,
    since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion—[a]
    and give your neighbor no rest!
Allow no sleep to your eyes,
    no slumber to your eyelids.(E)
Free yourself, like a gazelle(F) from the hand of the hunter,(G)
    like a bird from the snare of the fowler.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:3 Or Go and humble yourself,

15 Whoever puts up security(A) for a stranger will surely suffer,
    but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.(B)

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18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
    and puts up security for a neighbor.(A)

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Saying 4

26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(A)
    or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
    your very bed will be snatched from under you.(B)

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Honor the Lord with your wealth,
    with the firstfruits(A) of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled(B) to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine.(C)

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Firstfruits and Tithes

26 When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, take some of the firstfruits(A) of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name(B) and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: “My father was a wandering(C) Aramean,(D) and he went down into Egypt with a few people(E) and lived there and became a great nation,(F) powerful and numerous. But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer,(G) subjecting us to harsh labor.(H) Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice(I) and saw(J) our misery,(K) toil and oppression.(L) So the Lord brought us out of Egypt(M) with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,(N) with great terror and with signs and wonders.(O) He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey;(P) 10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me.(Q)” Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. 11 Then you and the Levites(R) and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice(S) in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

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10 then your barns will be filled(A) to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine.(B)

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10 Bring the whole tithe(A) into the storehouse,(B) that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates(C) of heaven and pour out(D) so much blessing(E) that there will not be room enough to store it.(F)

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22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
    but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.(A)

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14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,(A)
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.(B)

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23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,(A)
    give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,(B)
    and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
    and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
    and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
    and to nourish your female servants.

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15 She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.

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27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.

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27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
    “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
    when you already have it with you.(A)

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This is also why you pay taxes,(A) for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes;(B) if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

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Let us not become weary in doing good,(A) for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.(B) 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good(C) to all people, especially to those who belong to the family(D) of believers.

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