Proverbs 22
1 A good name is more to be desired than great wealth, and to be respected is better than silver and gold.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.
2 The man of wealth and the poor man come face to face: the Lord is the maker of them all.
The rich and the poor meet together. Jehovah is the maker of them all.
3 The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.
A prudent man sees the evil, and hides himself, but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
4 The reward of a gentle spirit and the fear of the Lord is wealth and honour and life.
The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah is riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns and nets are in the way of the twisted: he who keeps watch over his soul will be far from them.
Thorns and snares are in the way of a perverse man. He who keeps his soul shall be far from them.
6 If a child is trained up in the right way, even when he is old he will not be turned away from it.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The man of wealth has rule over the poor, and he who gets into debt is a servant to his creditor.
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 By planting the seed of evil a man will get in the grain of sorrow, and the rod of his wrath will be broken.
He who sows iniquity shall reap calamity, and the rod of his wrath shall fail.
9 He who is kind will have a blessing, for he gives of his bread to the poor.
He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.
10 Send away the man of pride, and argument will go out; truly fighting and shame will come to an end.
Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out, yea, strife and reproach will cease.
11 He whose heart is clean is dear to the Lord; for the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.
He who loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips, the king will be his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep knowledge, but by him the acts of the false man will be overturned.
The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous man.
13 The hater of work says, There is a lion outside: I will be put to death in the streets.
The sluggard says, There is a lion outside. I shall be slain in the streets.
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep hole: he with whom the Lord is angry will go down into it.
The mouth of interloping women is a deep pit. He who is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall in it.
15 Foolish ways are deep-seated in the heart of a child, but the rod of punishment will send them far from him.
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 He who is cruel to the poor for the purpose of increasing his profit, and he who gives to the man of wealth, will only come to be in need.
He who oppresses a poor man to his increase, and he who gives to a rich man, comes only to want.
17 Let your ear be bent down for hearing my words, and let your heart give thought to knowledge.
Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart to my knowledge.
18 For it is a delight to keep them in your heart, to have them ready on your lips.
For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, if they be established together upon thy lips.
19 So that your faith may be in the Lord, I have made them clear to you this day, even to you.
That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have I not put in writing for you thirty sayings, with wise suggestions and knowledge,
Have I not written to thee excellent things of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make you see how certain are true words, so that you may give a true answer to those who put questions to you?
to make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou may carry back words of truth to those who send thee?
22 Do not take away the property of the poor man because he is poor, or be cruel to the crushed ones when they come before the judge:
Do not rob a poor man, because he is poor, nor oppress an afflicted man in the gate.
23 For the Lord will give support to their cause, and take the life of those who take their goods.
For Jehovah will plead their cause, and despoil of life those who despoil them.
24 Do not be friends with a man who is given to wrath; do not go in the company of an angry man:
Make no friendship with a man who is given to anger, and thou shall not go with a wrathful man,
25 For fear of learning his ways and making a net ready for your soul.
lest thou learn this ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Be not one of those who give their hands in an agreement, or of those who make themselves responsible for debts:
Be thou not one of those who strike hands, or of those who are sureties for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to make payment, he will take away your bed from under you.
If thou have not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Let not the old landmark be moved which your fathers have put in place.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29 Have you seen a man who is expert in his business? he will take his place before kings; his place will not be among low persons.
See thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before obscure men.
