Proverbs 22
1 A fair name is better than much wealth, and good favour is above silver and gold.
A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold — good grace.
2 The rich and the poor meet together; but the Lord made them both.
Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all [is] Jehovah.
3 An intelligent man seeing a bad man severely punished is himself instructed, but fools pass by and are punished.
The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
4 The fear of the Lord is the offspring of wisdom, and wealth, and glory, and life.
The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.
5 Thistles and snares are in perverse ways; but he that keeps his soul will refrain from them.
Thorns — snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.
Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it.
7 The rich will rule over the poor, and servants will lend to their own masters.
The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.
8 He that sows wickedness shall reap troubles; and shall fully receive the punishment of his deeds. God loves a cheerful and liberal man; but [a man] shall fully prove the folly of his works.
Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.
9 He that has pity on the poor shall himself be maintained; for he has given of his own bread to the poor. He that gives liberally secures victory an honour; but he takes away the life of them that posses [them].
The good of eye — he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
10 Cast out a pestilent person from the council, and strife shall go out with him; for when he sits in the council he dishonours all.
Cast out a scorner — and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.
11 The Lord loves holy hearts, and all blameless persons are acceptable with him: a king rules with his lips.
Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend.
12 But the eyes of the Lord preserve discretion; but the transgressor despises [wise] words.
The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.
13 The sluggard makes excuses, and says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and murderers in the streets.
The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'
14 The mouth of a transgressor is a deep pit; and he that is hated of the Lord shall fall into it. Evil ways are before a man, and he does not like to turn away from them; but it is needful to turn aside from a perverse and bad way.
A deep pit [is] the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.
15 Folly is attached to the heart of a child, but the rod and instruction are [then] far from him.
Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.
16 He that oppresses the poor, increases his own substance, yet gives to the rich so as to make it less.
He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich — only to want.
17 Incline thine ear to the words of wise men: hear also my word, and apply thine heart,
Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,
18 that thou mayest know that they are good: and if thou lay them to heart, they shall also gladden thee on thy lips.
For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips.
19 That thy hope may be in the Lord, and he may make thy way known to thee.
That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.
20 And do thou too repeatedly record them for thyself on the table of thine heart, for counsel and knowledge.
Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?
21 I therefore teach thee truth, and knowledge good to hear; that thou mayest answer words of truth to them that question thee.
To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.
22 Do no violence to the poor, for he is needy: neither dishonour the helpless [man] in the gates.
Rob not the poor because he [is] poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.
23 For the Lord will plead his cause, and thou shalt deliver thy soul in safety.
For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
24 Be not companion to a furious man; neither lodge with a passionate man:
Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,
25 lest thou learn of his ways, and get snares to thy soul.
Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.
26 Become not surety from respect of a man's person.
Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
27 For if those have not whence to give compensation, they will take the bed [that is] under thee.
If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?
28 Remove not the old landmarks, which thy fathers placed.
Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.
29 It is fit that an observant man and [one] diligent in his business should attend on kings, and not attend on slothful men.
Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
