Wealth(A) is worthless in the day of wrath,(B)
    but righteousness delivers from death.(C)

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Wealth won’t help in the time of judgment,[a]
    but righteousness will deliver from death.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:4 Lit. the day of wrath

16 A kindhearted woman gains honor,(A)
    but ruthless men gain only wealth.

17 Those who are kind benefit themselves,
    but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
    but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.(B)

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16 A gracious woman attains honor,[a]
    but[b] ruthless men attain[c] wealth.
17 A gracious man benefits himself,
    but the cruel person damages himself.

18 Evil people earn deceptive wages,
    but those who plant righteousness are truly rewarded.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:16 So MT; LXX reads honor for her husband
  2. Proverbs 11:16 So MT; LXX reads but a seat of dishonor is for the woman who hates justice
  3. Proverbs 11:16 So MT; LXX reads justice. The deficient shrink from wealth, but the diligent support themselves with

28 Those who trust in their riches will fall,(A)
    but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.(B)

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28 The person who trusts in his wealth will fall,
    but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.

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11 Dishonest money dwindles away,(A)
    but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

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11 Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away,
    but whoever works diligently increases his prosperity.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:11 The Heb. lacks his prosperity

16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great wealth with turmoil.(A)

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On Contentment and Other Good Things of Life

16 Better is a little accompanied by fear of the Lord
    than abundant wealth with turmoil.

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27 The greedy bring ruin to their households,
    but the one who hates bribes will live.(A)

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27 Those who are greedy for unjust gain bring trouble into their homes,
    but the person who hates bribes will live.

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A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
    they think success will come at every turn.(A)

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A bribe works wonders[a] in the eyes of its giver;
    wherever he turns he prospers.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:8 Lit. A gift is a stone of favor

17 Food gained by fraud tastes sweet,(A)
    but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.(B)

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17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
    but later his mouth will be full of gravel.

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21 An inheritance claimed too soon
    will not be blessed at the end.

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21 An inheritance quickly obtained at the beginning
    will not be blessed at the end.

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The plans of the diligent lead to profit(A)
    as surely as haste leads to poverty.

A fortune made by a lying tongue
    is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.[a](B)

The violence of the wicked will drag them away,(C)
    for they refuse to do what is right.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death

Plans of the persistent surely lead to productivity,
    but all who are hasty will surely become poor.

A fortune gained by deceit[a]
    is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.[b]

Devastation caused by the wicked will drag them away
    because they refuse to do what is just.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:6 Lit. by a lying tongue
  2. Proverbs 21:6 So MT; LXX reads is pursuing worthlessness into deadly snares

14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,
    and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.(A)

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14 Privately given gifts pacify wrath,
    and payments made secretly[a] appease[b] great anger.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:14 Lit. made under the cloak
  2. Proverbs 21:14 The Heb. lacks appease

Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than the rich whose ways are perverse.(A)

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It’s better to be poor and live a blameless life
    than to be rich but crooked in one’s lifestyle.

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