For (A)the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a (B)shield to those who walk in integrity,
Guarding the paths of justice,
And He (C)watches over the way of His godly ones.

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For the Lord grants wisdom!
    From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
    He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of the just
    and protects those who are faithful to him.

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Do not let (A)kindness and truth leave you;
(B)Bind them around your neck,
(C)Write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will (D)find favor and a (E)good [a]reputation
In the sight of God and man.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:4 Lit understanding

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
    Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
    Write them deep within your heart.
Then you will find favor with both God and people,
    and you will earn a good reputation.

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11 (A)My son, do not reject the [a]discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His rebuke,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:11 Or instruction

11 My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t be upset when he corrects you.

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21 For the (A)ways of everyone are before the eyes of the Lord,
And He (B)observes all his paths.

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21 For the Lord sees clearly what a man does,
    examining every path he takes.

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16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
Seven that are an abomination [a]to Him:
17 (A)Haughty eyes, a (B)lying tongue,
And hands that (C)shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises (D)wicked plans,
(E)Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19 A (F)false witness who declares lies,
And one who [b](G)spreads strife among brothers.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:16 Lit of His soul
  2. Proverbs 6:19 Lit sends out

16 There are six things the Lord hates—
    no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes,
    a lying tongue,
    hands that kill the innocent,
18 a heart that plots evil,
    feet that race to do wrong,
19 a false witness who pours out lies,
    a person who sows discord in a family.

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The (A)eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.

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The Lord is watching everywhere,
    keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.

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11 [a](A)Sheol and [b]Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
How much more the (B)hearts of [c]mankind!

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:11 I.e., The netherworld
  2. Proverbs 15:11 I.e., place of destruction
  3. Proverbs 15:11 Lit sons of mankind

11 Even Death and Destruction[a] hold no secrets from the Lord.
    How much more does he know the human heart!

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Footnotes

  1. 15:11 Hebrew Sheol and Abaddon.

29 The Lord is (A)far from the wicked,
But He (B)hears the prayer of the righteous.

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29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
    but he hears the prayers of the righteous.

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Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

16 The (A)plans of the heart belong to a person,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight,
But the (B)Lord examines the [a]motives.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:2 Lit spirits

16 We can make our own plans,
    but the Lord gives the right answer.

People may be pure in their own eyes,
    but the Lord examines their motives.

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The mind of a (A)person plans his way,
But (B)the Lord directs his steps.

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We can make our plans,
    but the Lord determines our steps.

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11 A (A)just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the [a]weights of the bag are His [b]concern.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:11 Lit stones
  2. Proverbs 16:11 Lit work

11 The Lord demands accurate scales and balances;
    he sets the standards for fairness.

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33 The (A)lot is cast into the lap,
But its every (B)decision is from the Lord.

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33 We may throw the dice,[a]
    but the Lord determines how they fall.

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Footnotes

  1. 16:33 Hebrew We may cast lots.