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Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;
    bind them around your neck;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.(A)
Then you will find favor and high regard
    in the sight of God and of people.(B)

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Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.
Tie them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.(A)
Then you will find favor and high regard
with God and people.(B)

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The True Wealth

13 Happy are those who find wisdom
    and those who get understanding,
14 for her income is better than silver
    and her revenue better than gold.(A)
15 She is more precious than jewels,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.(B)
16 Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are riches and honor.(C)
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.(D)
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
    those who hold her fast are called happy.(E)

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Wisdom Brings Happiness

13 Happy is a man who finds wisdom(A)
and who acquires understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver,
and her revenue is better than gold.(B)
15 She is more precious than jewels;(C)
nothing you desire can equal her.(D)
16 Long life[a] is in her right hand;
in her left, riches and honor.(E)
17 Her ways are pleasant,(F)
and all her paths, peaceful.
18 She is a tree of life(G) to those who embrace her,
and those who hold on to her are happy.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:16 Lit Length of days

35 The wise will inherit honor,
    but stubborn fools, disgrace.

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35 The wise will inherit honor,
but he holds up fools to dishonor.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 3:35 Or but haughty fools dishonor, or but fools exalt dishonor

The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom,
    and whatever else you get, get insight.(A)
Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
    she will honor you if you embrace her.(B)
She will place on your head a fair garland;
    she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”(C)

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Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.
And whatever else you get, get understanding.(A)
Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.(B)
She will place a garland of favor on your head;
she will give you a crown of beauty.”(C)

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The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
    but the name of the wicked will rot.(A)

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The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.(A)

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16 A gracious woman gets honor,
    but she who hates virtue is covered with shame.[a]
The timid become destitute,[b]
    but the aggressive gain riches.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 11.16 Compare Gk Syr: Heb lacks but she . . . shame
  2. 11.16 Gk: Heb lacks The timid . . . destitute

16 A gracious woman gains honor,
but violent[a] people gain only riches.

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Footnotes

  1. 11:16 Or ruthless

26 The people curse those who hold back grain,
    but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.(A)
27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,
    but evil comes to the one who searches for it.(B)

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26 People will curse(A) anyone who hoards grain,
but a blessing will come to the one who sells it.(B)

27 The one who searches for what is good(C) seeks favor,
but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him.(D)

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One is commended for good sense,
    but a perverse mind is despised.

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A man is praised for his insight,
but a twisted mind is despised.

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Better to be despised and have produce[a]
    than to be self-important and lack food.

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Footnotes

  1. 12.9 Cn: Heb servant

Better to be disregarded, yet have a servant,
than to act important but have no food.(A)

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15 Good sense wins favor,
    but the way of the faithless is their ruin.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 13.15 Cn Compare Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb is enduring

15 Good sense wins favor,(A)
but the way of the treacherous never changes.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 13:15 LXX, Syr, Tg read treacherous will perish

18 Poverty and disgrace are for the one who ignores instruction,
    but one who heeds reproof is honored.(A)

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18 Poverty and disgrace come to those
who ignore discipline,
but the one who accepts correction will be honored.(A)

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35 A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
    but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.(A)

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35 A king favors a prudent servant,(A)
but his anger falls on a disgraceful one.

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