Proverbs 22
1 A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches; loving favour rather than silver and gold.
A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and poor meet together; Jehovah is the maker of them all.
The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.
3 A prudent [man] seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
4 The reward of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah is riches, and honour, and life.
The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.
5 Thorns [and] snares are in the way of the perverse: he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself far from them.
Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them.
6 Train up the child according to the tenor of his way, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor; and the borrower is servant to the lender.
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
8 He that soweth unrighteousness shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his wrath shall have an end.
He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention will depart, and strife and ignominy shall cease.
Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, upon whose lips is grace, the king is his friend.
He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.
12 The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge; but he overthroweth the words of the unfaithful.
The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion without, I shall be killed in the streets!
The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep ditch: he with whom Jehovah is displeased shall fall therein.
The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound in the heart of a child; 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 from him.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, it is to enrich him; he that giveth to the rich, [bringeth] only to want.
Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise— apply your mind to my knowledge—
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee: they shall be together fitted on thy lips.
for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips.
19 That thy confidence may be in Jehovah, I have made [them] known to thee this day, even to thee.
So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things, in counsels and knowledge,
Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge,
21 that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?
to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate;
Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate,
23 for Jehovah will plead their cause, and despoil the soul of those that despoil them.
for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and go not with a furious man;
Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man,
25 lest thou learn his paths, and get a snare to thy soul.
or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not of them that strike hands, of them that are sureties for debts:
Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts.
27 if thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.
Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.
29 Hast thou seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before the mean.
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.
