he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is (A)a shield to those who (B)walk in integrity,

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He stores up success[a] for the upright;
He is a shield for those who live with integrity(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 2:7 Or resourcefulness

(A)Go to (B)the ant, O (C)sluggard;
    consider her ways, and (D)be wise.
(E)Without having any chief,
    (F)officer, or ruler,
she prepares her bread (G)in summer
    and (H)gathers her food in harvest.

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Laziness

Go to the ant,(A) you slacker!(B)
Observe its ways and become wise.
Without leader, administrator, or ruler,
it prepares its provisions in summer;
it gathers its food during harvest.(C)

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12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
    and I find knowledge and (A)discretion.
13 (B)The fear of the Lord is (C)hatred of evil.
(D)Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
    and (E)perverted speech I hate.
14 I have (F)counsel and (G)sound wisdom;
    I have insight; (H)I have strength.
15 By me (I)kings reign,
    and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
    and nobles, all who govern justly.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth

12 I, wisdom, share a home with shrewdness
and have knowledge and discretion.(A)
13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.(B)
I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct,
and perverse speech.
14 I possess good advice and sound wisdom;[a]
I have understanding and strength.(C)
15 It is by me that kings reign(D)
and rulers enact just law;
16 by me, princes lead,
as do nobles and all righteous judges.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 8:14 Or resourcefulness
  2. 8:16 Some Hb mss, LXX read nobles who judge the earth

The righteousness of the blameless (A)keeps his way straight,
    but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.

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The righteousness of the blameless clears his path,
but the wicked person will fall because of his wickedness.

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23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
    (A)the expectation of the wicked in wrath.

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23 The desire of the righteous turns out well,(A)
but the hope of the wicked leads to wrath.(B)

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24 (A)The hand of the diligent will rule,
    while the slothful will be (B)put to forced labor.

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24 The diligent hand will rule,
but laziness will lead to forced labor.(A)

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From the fruit of his mouth a man (A)eats what is good,
    but the desire of the treacherous (B)is for violence.

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From the fruit of his mouth,
a person will enjoy good things,(A)
but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.(B)

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13 Whoever (A)despises (B)the word[a] brings destruction on himself,
    but he who reveres the commandment[b] will be (C)rewarded.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:13 Or a word
  2. Proverbs 13:13 Or a commandment

13 The one who has contempt for instruction will pay the penalty,(A)
but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.(B)

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22 (A)Without counsel plans fail,
    but with many advisers they succeed.

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22 Plans fail when there is no counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed.(A)

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(A)Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.

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Commit your activities to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.(A)

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(A)The heart of man plans his way,
    but (B)the Lord establishes his steps.

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A person’s heart plans his way,
but the Lord determines his steps.(A)

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12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
    for (A)the throne is established by righteousness.

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12 Wicked behavior is detestable to kings,(A)
since a throne is established through righteousness.(B)

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