Proverbs 22
1 A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.
A good name is preferable to abundant riches, and good grace, to silver and to gold.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.
The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker them all.
3 The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
The prudent foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.
The reward of humility [and] the fear of the Lord are riches and honor, and life.
5 Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them.
Thorns and snares are on the way of a perverse man: he that doth guard his soul will keep far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Train up the lad in accordance with his course: even when he groweth old, will he not depart from it.
7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
A rich man ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the man that lendeth.
8 He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
He that soweth injustice will reap wrong-doing; and the rod of God's wrath will not fail.
9 A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
A man of a benevolent eye will indeed be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.
Drive away the scorner, and strife will go off; and then will cease contention and dishonor.
11 He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.
He that loveth with a pure heart, and hath grace on his lips, will have the king as his friend.
12 The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.
The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge, and he overturneth the words of the treacherous.
13 The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”
The slothful saith, There is a lion without, in the midst of the streets shall I be murdered.
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it.
A deep pit is the mouth of adulterous women: he that hath obtained the indignation of the Lord will fall thereinto.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
When folly is bound fast to the heart of a lad, the rod of correction must remove it far from him.
16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, [must at length] give to the rich, and come only to want.
17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise— apply your mind to my knowledge—
Incline thy ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips.
For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thy bosom, if they be altogether firmly seated upon thy lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you.
That thy trust may be in the Lord, have I made them known to thee this day, yea, even to thee.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge,
Have not I written for thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21 to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you?
That I might make thee know rectitude, the sayings of truth; that thou mightest bring back answers of truth to those that send thee?
22 Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate,
Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither crush the afflicted in the gate;
23 for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.
For the Lord will plead their cause, and despoil the life of those that despoil them.
24 Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man,
Make no friendship with a man given to anger; and with a man of fury thou must have no intercourse:
25 or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare for thy own soul.
26 Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts.
Be not one of those that pledge their hand, or of those that are sureties for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
If thou have nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have established.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
Seest thou a man that is diligent in his work? before kings may he place himself: let him not place himself before obscure men.
