Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.
Tie them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.(A)
Then you will find favor and high regard
with God and people.(B)

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Let not (A)steadfast love and (B)faithfulness forsake you;
    (C)bind them around your neck;
    (D)write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will (E)find favor and (F)good success[a]
    in the sight of God and man.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:4 Or repute

Wisdom Brings Happiness

13 Happy is a man who finds wisdom(A)
and who acquires understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver,
and her revenue is better than gold.(B)
15 She is more precious than jewels;(C)
nothing you desire can equal her.(D)
16 Long life[a] is in her right hand;
in her left, riches and honor.(E)
17 Her ways are pleasant,(F)
and all her paths, peaceful.
18 She is a tree of life(G) to those who embrace her,
and those who hold on to her are happy.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:16 Lit Length of days

Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

13 (A)Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
14 (B)for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than (C)gold.
15 She is more precious than (D)jewels,
    and (E)nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 (F)Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are (G)riches and honor.
17 Her (H)ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
18 She is (I)a tree of life to those who (J)lay hold of her;
    those who hold her fast are called blessed.

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35 The wise will inherit honor,
but he holds up fools to dishonor.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 3:35 Or but haughty fools dishonor, or but fools exalt dishonor

35 The wise will inherit honor,
    but fools get[a] disgrace.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:35 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain

Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.
And whatever else you get, get understanding.(A)
Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.(B)
She will place a garland of favor on your head;
she will give you a crown of beauty.”(C)

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(A)The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
    and whatever you get, get (B)insight.
Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
    she will (C)honor you (D)if you embrace her.
She will place on your head (E)a graceful garland;
    she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

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The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.(A)

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(A)The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
    but (B)the name of the wicked will rot.

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16 A gracious woman gains honor,
but violent[a] people gain only riches.

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Footnotes

  1. 11:16 Or ruthless

16 (A)A gracious woman gets honor,
    and (B)violent men get riches.

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26 People will curse(A) anyone who hoards grain,
but a blessing will come to the one who sells it.(B)

27 The one who searches for what is good(C) seeks favor,
but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him.(D)

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26 (A)The people curse him who holds back grain,
    but (B)a blessing is on the head of him who (C)sells it.
27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,[a]
    but evil comes to (D)him who searches for it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:27 Or acceptance

A man is praised for his insight,
but a twisted mind is despised.

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A man is commended according to his good sense,
    but one of twisted mind is (A)despised.

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Better to be disregarded, yet have a servant,
than to act important but have no food.(A)

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Better to be lowly and have a servant
    than to play the great man and lack bread.

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15 Good sense wins favor,(A)
but the way of the treacherous never changes.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 13:15 LXX, Syr, Tg read treacherous will perish

15 (A)Good sense wins (B)favor,
    but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:15 Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate); Hebrew is rugged, or is an enduring rut

18 Poverty and disgrace come to those
who ignore discipline,
but the one who accepts correction will be honored.(A)

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18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who (A)ignores instruction,
    (B)but whoever (C)heeds reproof is honored.

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35 A king favors a prudent servant,(A)
but his anger falls on a disgraceful one.

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35 A servant who deals wisely has (A)the king's favor,
    but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

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