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17 Humble yourself to the greatest possible degree,
    for the godless will suffer the punishment of fire and worms.[a]
18 Do not exchange a friend for the sake of money,
    or a true brother for the gold of Ophir.[b]
19 Do not turn against a wise and good wife;
    her gracious demeanor is worth more than gold.

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Footnotes

  1. Wisdom of Ben Sira 7:17 For . . . worms: Hebrew reads: “for the expectation of men is worms.”
  2. Wisdom of Ben Sira 7:18 Gold of Ophir: i.e., gold of first quality (see 1 Ki 9:28; 10:11; Job 22:24). Ophir is not identified with certainty; it may have been in central Arabia.