17 A friend loves at all times,(A)
and a brother is born for a difficult time.

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17 A friend loves at all times,
    and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.(A)

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24 One with many friends may be harmed,[a]
but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 18:24 Some LXX mss, Syr, Tg, Vg read friends must be friendly

24 Some[a] friends play at friendship,[b]
    but a true friend sticks closer than one’s sibling.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 18.24 Syr Tg: Heb A man of
  2. 18.24 Cn Compare Syr Vg Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,(A)
but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.(B)

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Well meant are the wounds a friend inflicts,
    but profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

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Oil(A) and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 27:9 LXX reads heart, but the soul is torn up by affliction

Perfume and incense make the heart glad,
    but the soul is torn by trouble.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 27.9 Gk: Heb the sweetness of a friend is better than one’s own counsel

10 Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend,(A)
and don’t go to your brother’s house
in your time of calamity;
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.(B)

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10 Do not forsake your friend or the friend of your parent;
    do not go to the house of your kindred in the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbor who is nearby
    than kindred who are far away.(A)

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