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He stores up sound wisdom for the upright,
A (A)shield to those who walk in integrity,

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He stores up sound judgment for upright people.
He is a shield for those who walk in integrity.

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Go to the (A)ant, O (B)sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise,
Which, having (C)no chief,
Officer or ruler,
Prepares her food (D)in the summer
And gathers her provision in the harvest.

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Wisdom Warns Against Laziness

Go to the ant, you slacker![a]
Observe its ways and become wise.
Although it has no overseer, officer, or ruler,
it stores its food in summer.
It gathers its provisions at harvest time.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:6 Or you loafer or you lazybones

12 “I, wisdom, (A)dwell with prudence,
And I find (B)knowledge and discretion.
13 The (C)fear of Yahweh is to hate evil;
(D)Pride and arrogance and (E)the evil way
And the mouth of [a](F)perverted words, I hate.
14 (G)Counsel is mine and (H)sound wisdom;
I am understanding, (I)might is mine.
15 By me (J)kings reign,
And rulers mark out righteousness.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All who judge rightly.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:13 Lit perversities

Wisdom’s Benefit

12 I, Wisdom, dwell with good judgment.[a]
I discover knowledge and foresight.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.
I hate haughtiness, arrogance, an evil way, and a perverse mouth.
14 Good advice and sound judgment are mine.
I, Understanding, have strength.
15 By me kings reign,
and rulers administer justice.
16 By me officials govern,
as well as nobles and all just judges.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:12 Or prudence

The (A)righteousness of the blameless will make his way straight,
But (B)the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

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The righteousness of honest people makes their way smooth,
but because of his wickedness a wicked person falls.

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23 The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the (A)hope of the wicked is wrath.

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23 The desire of the righteous leads only to good.
The hope of the wicked leads to fury.

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24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
But [a]the slack hand will be (A)put to forced labor.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:24 Lit slackness

24 Hardworking hands will rule,
but laziness results in forced labor.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:24 Or leads to debtor’s prison

From the fruit of a man’s mouth he (A)eats what is good,
But the soul of the treacherous desires (B)violence.

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From the fruit of his mouth a person eats well,
but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.

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13 The one who (A)despises the word will be [a]in debt to it,
But the one who fears the commandment will be (B)rewarded.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:13 Lit pledged to it

13 The person who despises a word of instruction will pay the price,
but the person who respects a command will be rewarded.

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22 Without consultation, [a]plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they [b]succeed.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:22 Lit thoughts
  2. Proverbs 15:22 Or are established

22 Plans fail without advice,
but where there are many advisors they succeed.

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[a](A)Commit your works to Yahweh
And your [b]plans will be established.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:3 Lit Roll
  2. Proverbs 16:3 Lit thoughts

Commit what you do to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.

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The heart of (A)man [a]plans his way,
But (B)Yahweh [b]directs his steps.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:9 Lit thinks upon
  2. Proverbs 16:9 Lit establishes

A person’s heart plans his way,
but the Lord makes his steps secure.

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12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For in righteousness a (A)throne is established.

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12 It is disgusting for kings to commit wickedness,
because a throne is established by righteousness.

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