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27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,[a]
    when it is in your power to do it.(A)
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go and come again;
    tomorrow I will give it,” when you have it with you.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 3.27 Heb from its owners

Fourth Address to a Son:
Practice Wisdom Toward Your Neighbor

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due
    when it is within your power to give it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Go away! Come back some other time.
I will give something to you tomorrow,”
when in fact it is already with you right now.

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24 Some give freely yet grow all the richer;
    others withhold what is due and only suffer want.(A)
25 A generous person will be enriched,
    and one who gives water will get water.(B)
26 The people curse those who hold back grain,
    but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.(C)

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24 One person scatters his wealth, but it still increases.
Another hoards it unjustly, but this leads only to poverty.
25 A person who spreads blessings will be enriched.
One who gives a refreshing drink will be refreshed.
26 People curse the person who hoards grain,
but a blessing rests on the head of one who sells it.

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22 The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,
    but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.(A)

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22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

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21 Those who despise their neighbors are sinners,
    but happy are those who are kind to the poor.(A)

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21 A person who despises his neighbor is sinning,
but one who is kind to the oppressed is blessed.

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16 A gift opens doors;
    it gives access to the great.(A)

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16 A person’s gift opens doors[a] for him.
It leads him into the presence of great people.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:16 Or makes room

17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord
    and will be repaid in full.(A)

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17 A person who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord.
He will repay him in full.

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13 If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,
    you will cry out and not be heard.(A)

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13 Whoever shuts his ear to the cries of the poor—
he too will cry out and not be answered.

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Those who are generous are blessed,
    for they share their bread with the poor.(A)

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A generous person will be blessed,
because he gives some of his food to the poor.

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14 Like clouds and wind without rain
    is one who boasts of a gift never given.(A)

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14 A person who brags about a gift that is never given
    is like clouds and wind that bring no rain.

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27 Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,
    but one who turns a blind eye will get many a curse.(A)

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27 A person who gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but a person who closes his eyes to them will receive many curses.

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