Wealth attracts many friends,(A)
but a poor person is separated from his friend.

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Wealth makes many “friends”;
    poverty drives them all away.

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Many seek a ruler’s favor,(A)
and everyone is a friend of one who gives gifts.(B)

All the brothers of a poor person hate him;(C)
how much more do his friends
keep their distance from him!
He may pursue them with words,(D)
but they are not there.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 19:7 Hb uncertain

Many seek favors from a ruler;
    everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!

The relatives of the poor despise them;
    how much more will their friends avoid them!
Though the poor plead with them,
    their friends are gone.

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Rich and poor have this in common:[a]
the Lord makes them all.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 22:2 Lit poor meet

The rich and poor have this in common:
    The Lord made them both.

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The rich rule over the poor,(A)
and the borrower is a slave to the lender.(B)

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Just as the rich rule the poor,
    so the borrower is servant to the lender.

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Don’t wear yourself out to get rich;(A)
because you know better, stop!
As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears,(B)
for it makes wings for itself
and flies like an eagle to the sky.

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Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.
    Be wise enough to know when to quit.
In the blink of an eye wealth disappears,
    for it will sprout wings
    and fly away like an eagle.

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A person who is full tramples on a honeycomb,(A)
but to a hungry person, any bitter thing is sweet.

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A person who is full refuses honey,
    but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.

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Better the poor person who lives with integrity(A)
than the rich one who distorts right and wrong.[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. 28:6 Lit who twists two ways

Better to be poor and honest
    than to be dishonest and rich.

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Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest(A)
collects it for one who is kind to the poor.(B)

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Income from charging high interest rates
    will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor.

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11 A rich person is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor one who has discernment sees through him.

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11 Rich people may think they are wise,
    but a poor person with discernment can see right through them.

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20 A faithful person will have many blessings,(A)
but one in a hurry to get rich(B)
will not go unpunished.

21 It is not good to show partiality(C)
yet even a courageous person may sin for a piece of bread.(D)

22 A greedy one[a] is in a hurry for wealth;
he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 28:22 Lit A man with an evil eye

20 The trustworthy person will get a rich reward,
    but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble.

21 Showing partiality is never good,
    yet some will do wrong for a mere piece of bread.

22 Greedy people try to get rich quick
    but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.

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