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10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 prudence will watch over you,
    and understanding will guard you.

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10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
    and knowledge will fill you with joy.
11 Wise choices will watch over you.
    Understanding will keep you safe.

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20 Therefore walk in the way of the good,
    and keep to the paths of the just.

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20 So follow the steps of the good,
    and stay on the paths of the righteous.

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14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    and do not walk in the way of evildoers.(A)
15 Avoid it; do not go on it;
    turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.(B)
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
    which shines brighter and brighter until full day.(C)
19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    they do not know what they stumble over.(D)

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14 Don’t do as the wicked do,
    and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15 Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
    Turn away and keep moving.
16 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
    They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
17 They eat the food of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence!

18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
    which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
    They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

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20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools suffers harm.(A)

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20 Walk with the wise and become wise;
    associate with fools and get in trouble.

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28 A perverse person spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.(A)

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28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife;
    gossip separates the best of friends.

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12 Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs
    than to confront a fool immersed in folly.(A)

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12 It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
    than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.

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17 A friend loves at all times,
    and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.(A)

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17 A friend is always loyal,
    and a brother is born to help in time of need.

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24 Some[a] friends play at friendship,[b]
    but a true friend sticks closer than one’s sibling.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 18.24 Syr Tg: Heb A man of
  2. 18.24 Cn Compare Syr Vg Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

24 There are “friends” who destroy each other,
    but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

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Wealth brings many friends,
    but the poor are left friendless.(A)

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Wealth makes many “friends”;
    poverty drives them all away.

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Many seek the favor of the generous,
    and everyone is a friend to a giver of gifts.(A)
If the poor are hated even by their kin,
    how much more are they shunned by their friends!
When they call after them, they are not there.[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. 19.7 Meaning of Heb uncertain

Many seek favors from a ruler;
    everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!

The relatives of the poor despise them;
    how much more will their friends avoid them!
Though the poor plead with them,
    their friends are gone.

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19 A gossip reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with a babbler.(A)

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19 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
    so don’t hang around with chatterers.

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24 Make no friends with those given to anger,
    and do not associate with hotheads,
25 lest you learn their ways
    and entangle yourself in a snare.

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24 Don’t befriend angry people
    or associate with hot-tempered people,
25 or you will learn to be like them
    and endanger your soul.

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