A person with unfaithful friends soon comes to ruin. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

滥交朋友的，自取败坏；但有一朋友比弟兄更亲密。

朋友太多的人，必受损害；但有一知己比兄弟更亲密。

朋友太多的人，必受损害；但有一知己比兄弟更亲密。

滥交友，自招损；得知己，胜手足。

朋友众多的人，终必彼此破裂，但有一位朋友，比兄弟更亲密。

朋友太多的人，会受损害；但有一知己，比兄弟更亲密。

濫交朋友的，自取敗壞；但有一朋友比弟兄更親密。

朋友太多的人，必受損害；但有一知己比兄弟更親密。

朋友太多的人，必受損害；但有一知己比兄弟更親密。

濫交友，自招損；得知己，勝手足。

朋友眾多的人，終必彼此破裂，但有一位朋友，比兄弟更親密。

有些朋友只是做同伴；但有愛友、比弟兄更親密。

朋友太多的人，會受損害；但有一知己，比兄弟更親密。

濫交多友、必致敗亡、有友一人、親於昆弟、

泛交眾人、必致損害、得一知己、愈於兄弟。

泛交眾人、必致受害、然有時朋友較兄弟更親、

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

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

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

One with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.

A person of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

He that maketh many friends doeth it to his own destruction; But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

A man with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.

A man[ that hath] friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend[ that] sticketh closer than a brother.

A person who has friends may be harmed by them, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

A friend loves at all times. They are there to help when trouble comes.

No one has greater love than the one who gives their life for their friends.You are my friends if you do what I command.I do not call you slaves anymore. Slaves do not know their master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends. I have told you everything I learned from my Father.

Perfume and incense bring joy to your heart. And the sweetness of a friend comes from their honest advice.

My brother Jonathan, I’m filled with sadness because of you. You were very special to me. Your love for me was wonderful. It was more wonderful than the love of women.

Jonathan told his father Saul some good things about David. He said to him,“ Please don’t do anything to harm David. He hasn’t done anything to harm you. And what he’s done has helped you a lot.He put his own life in danger when he killed Goliath. The Lord used him to win a great battle for the whole nation of Israel. When you saw it, you were glad. So why would you do anything to harm a man like David? He isn’t guilty of doing anything to harm you. Why would you want to kill him without any reason?”

David asked,“ Is anyone left from the royal house of Saul? If there is, I want to be kind to him because of Jonathan.”Ziba was a servant in Saul’s family. David sent for him to come and see him. The king said to him,“ Are you Ziba?”“ I’m ready to serve you,” he replied.The king asked,“ Isn’t there anyone still alive from the royal house of Saul? God has been very kind to me. I would like to be kind to that person in the same way.” Ziba answered the king,“ A son of Jonathan is still living. Both of his feet were hurt so that he can’t walk.”“ Where is he?” the king asked. Ziba answered,“ He’s in the town of Lo Debar. He’s staying at the house of Makir, the son of Ammiel.”So King David had Mephibosheth brought from Makir’s house in Lo Debar.Mephibosheth came to David. He was the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul. Mephibosheth bowed down to David to show him respect. David said,“ Mephibosheth!”“ I’m ready to serve you,” he replied.“ Don’t be afraid,” David told him.“ You can be sure that I will be kind to you because of your father Jonathan. I’ll give back to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. And I’ll always provide what you need.”Mephibosheth bowed down to David. He said,“ Who am I? Why should you pay attention to me? I’m nothing but a dead dog.”Then the king sent for Saul’s servant Ziba. He said to him,“ I’m giving your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.You and your sons and your servants must farm the land for him. You must bring in the crops. Then he’ll be taken care of. I’ll always provide what he needs.” Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants.Then Ziba said to the king,“ I’ll do anything you command me to do. You are my king and master.” So David provided what Mephibosheth needed. He treated him like one of the king’s sons.Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika. All the members of Ziba’s family became servants of Mephibosheth.Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem. The king always provided what he needed. Both of his feet were hurt so that he could not walk.

Absalom said to Hushai,“ So this is the way you show love to your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?”

So Judas went to Jesus at once. He said,“ Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him.Jesus replied,“ Friend, do what you came to do.” Then the men stepped forward. They grabbed Jesus and arrested him.

The king spared Mephibosheth. He was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul. David had made a promise in front of the Lord. He had promised to be kind to Jonathan and the family line of his father Saul.

Mephibosheth said to the king,“ I’m happy that you have returned home safely. So just let Ziba have everything.”Barzillai had also come down to go across the Jordan River with the king. He wanted to send the king on his way from there. Barzillai was from Rogelim in the land of Gilead.He was very old. He was 80 years old. He had given the king everything he needed while the king was staying in Mahanaim. That’s because Barzillai was very wealthy.The king said to Barzillai,“ Come across the river with me. Stay with me in Jerusalem. I’ll take good care of you.”But Barzillai said to the king,“ I won’t live for many more years. So why should I go up to Jerusalem with you?I’m already 80 years old. I can hardly tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what isn’t. I can hardly taste what I eat and drink. I can’t even hear the voices of male and female singers anymore. So why should I add my problems to yours?I’ll go across the Jordan River with you for a little way. Why should you reward me by taking care of me?Let me go back home. Then I can die in my own town. I can be buried there in the tomb of my father and mother. But let Kimham take my place. Let him go across the river with you. Do for him whatever you wish.”The king said,“ Kimham will go across with me. I’ll do for him whatever you wish. And I’ll do for you anything you wish.”So all the people went across the Jordan River. Then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and said goodbye to him. And Barzillai went back home.

All these fighting men offered to serve in the army. Before they came to Hebron, they had agreed completely to make David king over all the Israelites. All the rest of the people also agreed to make David king.The men spent three days there with David. They ate and drank what their families had given them.Their neighbors also brought food. They brought it on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. They came from as far away as the territories of Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali. There was plenty of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep. The Israelites brought all these things because they were so happy.

David came to Mahanaim. Shobi, the son of Nahash, met him there. Shobi was from Rabbah in the land of Ammon. Makir, the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, met him there too. So did Barzillai from Rogelim in the land of Gilead.They brought beds, bowls and clay pots. They brought wheat, barley, flour, and grain that had been cooked. They brought beans and lentils.They brought honey, butter, sheep, and cheese that was made from cows’ milk. They brought all that food for David and his people to eat. They said,“ These people have become tired. They’ve become hungry and thirsty in the desert.”

David reached Ziklag. He sent some of the goods to the elders of Judah. They were his friends. He said,“ Here’s a gift for you. It’s part of the things we took from the Lord’ s enemies.”David sent some goods to the elders in Bethel, Ramoth Negev and Jattir.He sent some to the elders in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoaand Rakal. He sent some to the elders in the towns of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites.He sent some to the elders in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athakand Hebron. He also sent some to the elders in all the other places where he and his men had wandered around.