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Avoiding the Ways of the Wicked

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    or go along the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it! Don’t travel on it!
    Turn away from it, and pass on by.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they are doing evil,
    and they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause someone to stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
    and they drink the wine of violence.

18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn
    that grows brighter until the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness,
    and they do not know what they are stumbling over.

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14 In the path of the wicked do not go;
    do not walk in the way of those who do evil.
15 Avoid it; do not transgress it;
    turn away from it and pass by.
16 For they will not sleep if they have not done wrong,
    and they are robbed of their sleep if they do not cause stumbling.
17 For they ate the bread of wickedness,
    and they drank the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous ones is like the light of dawn,
    leading and shining until the day is full.[a]
19 The way of the wicked ones is like deep darkness;
    they do not know what they stumble over.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:18 Literally “is correct”

20 Whoever keeps company with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools suffers harm.

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20 Walk with the wise and be wise,
    but as for the companion of fools, he will suffer harm.

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Stay away from a foolish man,
    for you will not find competent advice.

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Leave the presence of a foolish man,[a]
    for you will not come to know words of knowledge.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:7 Literally “from the presence belonging to a man of foolishness”
  2. Proverbs 14:7 Literally “lips of knowledge”

19 Better to be humble among the poor,
    than to share what is stolen with the proud.

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19 Better a lowly spirit with the poor
    than dividing the spoil with the proud.

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19 Whoever spreads gossip betrays confidences;
    so don’t get involved with someone who talks too much.

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19 He reveals a secret, he who walks about with gossip,
    and do not associate with a babbler’s lips.

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Thorns and snares lie in the path of the perverse person,
    but whoever is cautious stays far away from them.

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Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
    he who guards himself[a] will keep away from them.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:5 Or “soul,” or “life”

24 Don’t make friends with a hot-tempered man,
    and do not associate with someone who is easily angered,
25 or you may learn his ways
    and find yourself caught in a trap.

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24 Do not befriend an owner[a] of anger,[b]
    and with a man of wrath you shall not associate;
25 lest you learn his way
    and become entangled in a snare to yourself.[c]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:24 Or “master”
  2. Proverbs 22:24 Literally “nostril”
  3. Proverbs 22:25 Or “soul,” or “inner self”

Don’t consume food provided by a miserly[a] person,
    and don’t desire his delicacies,
for as he thinks within himself, so he is.
    “Eat and drink!” he’ll say to you,
        but his heart won’t be with you.
You’ll vomit up what little you’ve eaten,
    and your compliments will have been wasted.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:6 Lit. by the evil eyed

Do not eat the bread of the stingy,[a]
    and do not desire his delicacies.
For, like hair in his throat,[b] so it is.[c]
    “Eat and drink!” he will say to you,
    but his heart will not be with you.
Your morsel you have eaten, you will vomit it up,
    and you will waste your pleasant words.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:6 Literally “stingy of eye”
  2. Proverbs 23:7 Literally “soul,” or “inner self”
  3. Proverbs 23:7 Or “is he”

20 Don’t associate with heavy drinkers
    or dine with gluttons,
21 because drunks and gluttons tend to become poor,
    and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.

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20 Do not be among drinkers of wine,
    among gluttonous eaters of their meat.[a]
21 For the drunkard and gluttonous, they will become poor,
    and with rags, drowsiness will clothe them.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:20 Literally “meat for them”

Benefits of Wisdom

24 Don’t be envious of wicked men
or wish you were with them,
because they[a] plan violence,
    and they are always talking[b] about trouble.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:2 Lit. because their hearts
  2. Proverbs 24:2 Lit. and their lips talk

24 Do not envy men of evil,
    and do not desire to be with them.
For their minds will devise violence,
    and their lips will speak mischief.

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21 My son, fear both the Lord and the king,
    and don’t keep company with rebels.
22 They will be destroyed suddenly,
    and who knows what kind of punishment will come from these two?

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21 Fear Yahweh, my son, and the king;
    with those who change, do not associate.
22 For suddenly their disaster will come,
    and the ruin of both of them,[a] who knows?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:22 Literally “the two of them”