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Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you.
    Bind them around your neck.
    Write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor,
    and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

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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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13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
    the man who gets understanding.
14 For her good profit is better than getting silver,
    and her return is better than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies.
    None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand.
    In her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness.
    All her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.
    Happy is everyone who retains her.

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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 glory,
    but shame will be the promotion of fools.

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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

Wisdom is supreme.
    Get wisdom.
    Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you.
    She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
She will give to your head a garland of grace.
    She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

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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 blessed,
    but the name of the wicked will rot.

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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 obtains honor,
    but violent men obtain riches.

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

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Footnotes

  1. 11:16 Or ruthless

26 People curse someone who withholds grain,
    but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.
27 He who diligently seeks good seeks favor,
    but he who searches after evil, it shall come to him.

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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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A man shall be commended according to his wisdom,
    but he who has a warped mind shall be despised.

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

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Better is he who is little known, and has a servant,
    than he who honors himself, and lacks bread.

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

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15 Good understanding wins favor,
    but the way of the unfaithful is hard.

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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 shame come to him who refuses discipline,
    but he who heeds correction shall be honored.

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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 The king’s favor is toward a servant who deals wisely,
    but his wrath is toward one who causes shame.

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

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