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17 A friend is always loyal,
    and a brother is born to help in time of need.

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17 Friends love all the time,
    and kinsfolk are born for times of trouble.

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24 There are “friends” who destroy each other,
    but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

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24 There are persons for companionship,
    but then there are friends who are more loyal than family.

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Wounds from a sincere friend
    are better than many kisses from an enemy.

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Trustworthy are the bruises of a friend;
    excessive are the kisses of an enemy.

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The heartfelt counsel of a friend
    is as sweet as perfume and incense.

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Oil and incense make the heart glad,
    and the sweetness of friends comes from their advice.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:9 Heb uncertain

10 Never abandon a friend—
    either yours or your father’s.
When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance.
    It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.

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10 Don’t desert your friend or a friend of your family;
    don’t go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes.
    Better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

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