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Do not be wise in your own opinion.
    Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
This will bring healing to your body,
    and refreshment to your bones.

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Do not be wise in your own eyes;
    fear Yahweh and retreat from evil.
There shall be healing for your flesh,[a]
    and refreshment for your body.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:8 Literally “navel”

Wisdom More Valuable than Riches

13 How joyful is the man who finds wisdom,
    and the man who gains understanding,
14 because her profit is better than the profit of silver,
    and her yield than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
    and nothing you desire compares with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand,
    and in her left are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
    and all her paths are peaceful.
18 She is a tree of life for those who embrace her,
    and whoever clutches her tightly will be joyful.

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13 Happy is the one[a] who finds wisdom,
    and one who obtains understanding.
14 For her[b] income is better than the income of silver,
    and her revenue than that of gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
    and all your desires shall not compare with 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,
    and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life for those who seize her;
    those who take hold of her are considered happy.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:13 Literally “a man”
  2. Proverbs 3:14 Or “its”; both “wisdom” and “understanding” are feminine nouns and can be read as either “she” or “it”

10 Listen, my son: accept my words,
    and you’ll live a long, long time.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:10 Lit. and the years of your life will be many

The Right Path

10 Listen, my child, take my sayings,
    and the years of your life shall be great.

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Remembering the Counsel of a Wise Father

20 My son, pay attention to my words,
    and listen closely[a] to what I say.
21 Do not let them out of your sight;
    keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
    and healing to their whole body.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:20 Lit. turn your ear
  2. Proverbs 4:22 Lit. flesh

Staying the Course

20 My child, be attentive to my words;
    to my sayings incline your ear.
21 May they not escape from your sight;[a]
    keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them
    and healing to the entire body.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:21 Literally “eyes”
  2. Proverbs 4:22 Literally “for all his flesh”

11 For because of me you will live a long life,
    and years will be added to your life.

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11 For by me your days shall increase,
    and years of life shall multiply for you.

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27 Fearing the Lord prolongs life,
    but the wicked will not live long.

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27 The fear of Yahweh adds life,
    but the years of the wicked are shortened.

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30 A tranquil mind brings life to one’s body,
    but jealousy causes one’s bones to rot.

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30 A heart[a] of tranquility[b] is life to the flesh,
    but causes bones of passion to rot.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:30 Or “mind”
  2. Proverbs 14:30 Or “he who heals”

30 Bright eyes[a] encourage the heart;
    good news nourishes the body.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:30 Or A cheerful look
  2. Proverbs 15:30 Lit. bones

30 From the light of the eyes, the heart[a] will rejoice,
    and good news will enliven the bones.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:30 Or “mind”
  2. Proverbs 15:30 Hebrew “bone”

17 The road of the upright circumvents evil,
    and whoever watches how he lives[a] preserves his life.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:17 Lit. watches his path

17 The highway of the upright, it turns from evil,
    he who guards himself[a] keeps his way.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:17 Or “soul,” or “inner self”

24 Pleasant words are honey from a honeycomb—
    sweet to the soul and healing for the body.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:24 Lit. bone

24 Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and healing to the bones.

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22 A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a broken spirit drains one’s strength.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:22 Lit. spirit dries the bones

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a downcast spirit will dry out bones.

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17 Never let yourself envy sinners;
    instead, remain[a] in fear of the Lord every day,
18 for there is surely a future life,
    and what you hope for will not be cut off.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:17 The Heb. lacks remain

17 May your heart[a] not envy the sinners,
    but live in fear of Yahweh all day.[b]
18 Surely[c] there is a future,
    and your hope will not be cut off.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:17 Or “mind”
  2. Proverbs 23:17 Literally “all the day”
  3. Proverbs 23:18 Literally “For if”