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27 ·Greedy people [L Those who get unjust gain] bring trouble to their ·families [L house],
but the person who ·can’t be paid to do wrong [L hates gifts/bribes] will live.

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27 He who (A)profits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who (B)hates bribes will live.

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·Some people think they can pay others to do anything they ask [L A bribe is a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it].
·They think it will work every time [L It grants success to all who use it].

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A (A)bribe is a [a]charm in the sight of its owner;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:8 Lit stone of favor

23 When the wicked ·accept money to do wrong [take a secret bribe/L bribe from the chest/bosom]
·there can be no [it stretches] justice.

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23 A wicked person accepts a (A)bribe [a]from an inside pocket
To (B)pervert the ways of justice.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:23 Lit a fold in a robe; i.e., secretly

16 Taking gifts to important people
will help get you in to see them.

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16 A person’s (A)gift makes room for him
And brings him before great people.

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14 A secret gift will calm an angry person;
a ·present [or bribe] given in secrecy will quiet great anger [Ex. 23:8; Deut. 16:19; 27:25; Ps. 15:5; Eccl. 7:7; Is. 1:23].

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14 A (A)gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe [a]in an inside pocket, strong wrath.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:14 Lit a fold in a robe; i.e., secretly

21 It is not good ·for a judge to take sides [to show favoritism/partiality; L to recognize faces],
but some will ·sin [transgress; do wrong] for only a piece of bread.

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21 To [a](A)show partiality is not good,
(B)Because for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:21 Lit regard the face

If a king is ·fair [just], he makes his country ·strong [stable],
but if he ·takes gifts dishonestly [heavily taxes/extorts it], he tears his country down [1 Sam. 12:10–18].

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The (A)king gives stability to the land by justice,
But a person who takes bribes ruins it.

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