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10 For wisdom will enter into your heart.
    Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will watch over you.
    Understanding will keep you,

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10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

11 Discretion[a] will protect you;
    understanding will watch over you,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:11 Or Wise planning

20 So you may walk in the way of good men,
    and keep the paths of the righteous.

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20 This is how you will walk in the way of good men
    and will keep to the paths of the righteous.

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14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked.
    Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it.
    Turn from it, and pass on.
16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil.
    Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light
    that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness.
    They don’t know what they stumble over.

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Avoiding the Ways of the Wicked

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    or go along the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it! Don’t travel on it!
    Turn away from it, and pass on by.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they are doing evil,
    and they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause someone to stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
    and they drink the wine of violence.

18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn
    that grows brighter until the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness,
    and they do not know what they are stumbling over.

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20 One who walks with wise men grows wise,
    but a companion of fools suffers harm.

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20 Whoever keeps company with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools suffers harm.

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28 A perverse man stirs up strife.
    A whisperer separates close friends.

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28 A deceitful man stirs dissension,
    and anyone who gossips separates friends.

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12 Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man,
    rather than a fool in his folly.

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12 It’s better to meet a mother bear who has lost her cubs
    than a fool in his stupidity.

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17 A friend loves at all times;
    and a brother is born for adversity.

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17 A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is there[a] for times of trouble.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:17 Lit. born

24 A man of many companions may be ruined,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

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24 A man with many[a] friends can still be ruined,
    but one who keeps on loving sticks closer than a brother.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:24 The Heb. lacks many

Wealth adds many friends,
    but the poor is separated from his friend.

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Wealth brings many friends,
    but a poor man is deserted by his friend.

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Many will entreat the favor of a ruler,
    and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
All the relatives of the poor shun him:
    how much more do his friends avoid him!
    He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone.

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Many curry favor of an official;
    everyone is a friend of the gift giver.

All the relatives of a poor person shun him—
    how much more do his friends avoid him!
Though he runs after them pleading,
    they aren’t around.

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19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets;
    therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

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19 Whoever spreads gossip betrays confidences;
    so don’t get involved with someone who talks too much.

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24 Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man,
    and don’t associate with one who harbors anger:
25 lest you learn his ways,
    and ensnare your soul.

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24 Don’t make friends with a hot-tempered man,
    and do not associate with someone who is easily angered,
25 or you may learn his ways
    and find yourself caught in a trap.

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