21 My son, see that (A)they do not escape from your sight;
Comply with sound wisdom and discretion,
22 And they will be (B)life to your soul
And (C)adornment to your neck.
23 Then you will (D)walk in your way securely,
And your foot will not (E)stumble.
24 When you (F)lie down, you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 (G)Do not be afraid of sudden danger,
Nor of (H)trouble from the wicked when it comes;
26 For the Lord will be [a]your confidence,
And will (I)keep your foot from being caught.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:26 Or at your side

Integrity of wisdom

21 My son, don’t let them slip from your eyes;
    hold on to sound judgment and discretion.
22 They will be life for your whole being,
    and an ornament for your neck.
23 Then you will walk safely on your path,
    and your foot won’t stumble.
24 If you lie down, you won’t be terrified.
    When you lie down, your sleep will be pleasant.
25 Don’t fear sudden terror
    or the ruin that comes to the wicked.
26 The Lord will be your confidence;
    he will guard your feet from being snared.

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The righteousness of the upright will rescue them,
But the treacherous will (A)be caught by their own greed.

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Those who do right are saved by their righteousness,
    but the untrustworthy are caught by their own desires.

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The righteous is rescued from trouble,
But the wicked [a]takes his place.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:8 Lit enters

The righteous are saved from distress,
    and the wicked take their place.

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15 One who is a (A)guarantor for a stranger will certainly suffer for it,
But one who hates [a]being a guarantor is secure.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:15 Lit those who strike hands

15 Guaranteeing the debt of a stranger brings big trouble,
    but the one who refuses to shake hands will be secure.

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The (A)words of the wicked wait in ambush for blood,
But the (B)mouth of the upright will rescue them.
The (C)wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the (D)house of the righteous will stand.

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The words of the wicked are a deathtrap,
    but the speech of those who do right rescues them.
The wicked are destroyed and are no more,
    but the family of the righteous will endure.

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13 [a]An evil person is ensnared by the offense of his lips,
But the (A)righteous will escape from trouble.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:13 Lit In the offense of the lips is an evil snare

13 The wicked are trapped by the transgressions of their lips,
    but the righteous escape from distress.

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21 (A)No harm happens to the righteous,
But the wicked are filled with trouble.

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21 No harm happens to the righteous,
    but the wicked receive their fill of trouble.

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One who (A)guards his mouth protects his life;
One who (B)opens wide his lips [a]comes to ruin.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:3 Lit ruin is his

People who watch their mouths guard their lives,
    but those who open their lips are ruined.

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14 The [a]teaching of the wise is a (A)fountain of life,
To turn aside from the (B)snares of death.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:14 Or law

14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
    turning a person away from deathtraps.

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24 The (A)path of life leads upward for the wise,
So that he may keep away from [a]Sheol below.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:24 I.e., the netherworld

24 For those with insight, life is an upward path,
    avoiding the grave [a] below.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:24 Heb Sheol

27 He who (A)profits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who (B)hates bribes will live.

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27 Those who acquire things unjustly gain trouble for their house,
    but those who hate bribes will live.

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16 One who (A)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But one who [a]is careless of [b]conduct will die.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:16 Lit despises
  2. Proverbs 19:16 Lit ways

16 Those who keep the commandment preserve their lives;
    those who disregard their ways will die.

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