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14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked.
    Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it.
    Turn from it, and pass on.
16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil.
    Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light
    that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness.
    They don’t know what they stumble over.

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14 Don’t do as the wicked do,
    and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15 Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
    Turn away and keep moving.
16 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
    They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
17 They eat the food of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence!

18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
    which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
    They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

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20 One who walks with wise men grows wise,
    but a companion of fools suffers harm.

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20 Walk with the wise and become wise;
    associate with fools and get in trouble.

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Stay away from a foolish man,
    for you won’t find knowledge on his lips.

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Stay away from fools,
    for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.

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19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor,
    than to divide the plunder with the proud.

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19 Better to live humbly with the poor
    than to share plunder with the proud.

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19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets;
    therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

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19 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
    so don’t hang around with chatterers.

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Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked:
    whoever guards his soul stays from them.

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Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road;
    whoever values life will avoid it.

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24 Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man,
    and don’t associate with one who harbors anger:
25 lest you learn his ways,
    and ensnare your soul.

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24 Don’t befriend angry people
    or associate with hot-tempered people,
25 or you will learn to be like them
    and endanger your soul.

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Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye,
    and don’t crave his delicacies:
    for as he thinks about the cost, so he is.
    “Eat and drink!” he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
The morsel which you have eaten you shall vomit up,
    and lose your good words.

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Don’t eat with people who are stingy;
    don’t desire their delicacies.
They are always thinking about how much it costs.[a]
    “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.
You will throw up what little you’ve eaten,
    and your compliments will be wasted.

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Footnotes

  1. 23:7 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.

20 Don’t be among ones drinking too much wine,
    or those who gorge themselves on meat:
21 for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor;
    and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

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20 Do not carouse with drunkards
    or feast with gluttons,
21 for they are on their way to poverty,
    and too much sleep clothes them in rags.

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24 Don’t be envious of evil men,
    neither desire to be with them;
for their hearts plot violence
    and their lips talk about mischief.

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24 Don’t envy evil people
    or desire their company.
For their hearts plot violence,
    and their words always stir up trouble.

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21 My son, fear Yahweh and the king.
    Don’t join those who are rebellious;
22 for their calamity will rise suddenly.
    Who knows what destruction may come from them both?

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21 My child, fear the Lord and the king.
Don’t associate with rebels,
22     for disaster will hit them suddenly.
Who knows what punishment will come
    from the Lord and the king?

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