Proverbs 22
1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.
A good name is to be chosen over great riches and favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor meet together. Jehovah is the maker of them all.
Rich and poor people have this in common— Yahweh is the maker of all of them.
3 A prudent man sees the evil, and hides himself, but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive go on and suffer because of it.
4 The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah is riches and honor and life.
The reward for humility and fear of Yahweh is riches, honor, and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of a perverse man. He who keeps his soul shall be far from them.
Thorns and snares lie in the path of the perverse; whoever guards his life will keep far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Teach a child the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn away from that instruction.
7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Rich people rule over poor people and one who borrows is a slave to the one who lends.
8 He who sows iniquity shall reap calamity, and the rod of his wrath shall fail.
He who sows injustice will reap trouble and the rod of his fury will fade away.
9 He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.
The one who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out, yea, strife and reproach will cease.
Drive away the mocker, and out goes strife; disputes and insults will cease.
11 He who loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips, the king will be his friend.
The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious, he will have the king for his friend.
12 The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous man.
The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.
13 The sluggard says, There is a lion outside. I shall be slain in the streets.
The lazy person says, “There is a lion in the street! I will be killed in the open places.”
14 The mouth of interloping women is a deep pit. He who is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall in it.
The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; Yahweh's anger is stirred up against anyone who falls into it.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far away.
16 He who oppresses a poor man to his increase, and he who gives to a rich man, comes only to want.
The one who oppresses poor people to increase his wealth, or gives to rich people, will come to poverty.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart to my knowledge.
Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, if they be established together upon thy lips.
for it will be pleasant for you if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee.
So your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach them to you today—even to you.
20 Have I not written to thee excellent things of counsels and knowledge,
Have I not written for you thirty sayings of instruction and knowledge,
21 to make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou may carry back words of truth to those who send thee?
to teach you truth in these trustworthy words, so you may give trustworthy answers to those who sent you?
22 Do not rob a poor man, because he is poor, nor oppress an afflicted man in the gate.
Do not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush the needy at the gate,
23 For Jehovah will plead their cause, and despoil of life those who despoil them.
for Yahweh will plead their case, and he will rob of life those who robbed them.
24 Make no friendship with a man who is given to anger, and thou shall not go with a wrathful man,
Do not make a friend of someone who is ruled by anger and you must not go with one who rages,
25 lest thou learn this ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
or you will learn his ways and you will take bait for your soul.
26 Be thou not one of those who strike hands, or of those who are sureties for debts.
Do not be one who strikes hands in making a pledge, or who puts up security for debts.
27 If thou have not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
If you lack the means to pay, what could stop someone from taking away your bed from under you?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Do not remove the ancient boundary stone that your fathers have set.
29 See thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before obscure men.
Do you see a man skilled at his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before common people.
