10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 (A)discretion will (B)watch over you,
    understanding will guard you,

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10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

11 Discretion[a] will protect you;
    understanding will watch over you,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:11 Or Wise planning

20 So you will walk in the way of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.

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20 This is how you will walk in the way of good men
    and will keep to the paths of the righteous.

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14 (A)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it;
    turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they (B)cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
    (C)and drink the wine of violence.
18 But (D)the path of the righteous is like (E)the light of dawn,
    which shines (F)brighter and brighter until (G)full day.
19 (H)The way of the wicked is like deep (I)darkness;
    they do not know over what they (J)stumble.

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Avoiding the Ways of the Wicked

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    or go along the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it! Don’t travel on it!
    Turn away from it, and pass on by.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they are doing evil,
    and they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause someone to stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
    and they drink the wine of violence.

18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn
    that grows brighter until the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness,
    and they do not know what they are stumbling over.

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20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

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20 Whoever keeps company with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools suffers harm.

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28 (A)A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and (B)a whisperer (C)separates close friends.

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28 A deceitful man stirs dissension,
    and anyone who gossips separates friends.

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12 Let a man meet (A)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    (B)rather than a fool in his folly.

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12 It’s better to meet a mother bear who has lost her cubs
    than a fool in his stupidity.

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

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17 A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is there[a] for times of trouble.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:17 Lit. born

24 A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but (A)there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

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24 A man with many[a] friends can still be ruined,
    but one who keeps on loving sticks closer than a brother.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:24 The Heb. lacks many

(A)Wealth brings many new friends,
    (B)but a poor man is deserted by his friend.

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Wealth brings many friends,
    but a poor man is deserted by his friend.

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Many seek the favor of a generous man,[a]
    and everyone is a friend to a man who gives (A)gifts.
(B)All a poor man's brothers hate him;
    (C)how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:6 Or of a noble
  2. Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew sentence is uncertain

Many curry favor of an official;
    everyone is a friend of the gift giver.

All the relatives of a poor person shun him—
    how much more do his friends avoid him!
Though he runs after them pleading,
    they aren’t around.

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19 Whoever (A)goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with (B)a simple babbler.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:19 Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips

19 Whoever spreads gossip betrays confidences;
    so don’t get involved with someone who talks too much.

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24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
    nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
    and entangle yourself in a snare.

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24 Don’t make friends with a hot-tempered man,
    and do not associate with someone who is easily angered,
25 or you may learn his ways
    and find yourself caught in a trap.

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