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 better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold.
2 The rich and poor meet together; Jehovah is the maker of them all.
The rich and poor have met one another: the Lord is the maker of them both.
3 A prudent [man] seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.
4 The reward of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah is riches, and honour, and life.
The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life.
5 Thorns [and] snares are in the way of the perverse: he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself far from them.
Arms and swords are in the way of the perverse: but he that keepeth his own soul departeth 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.
It is a proverb: A young man according to his way, even 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 ruleth over the poor: and the borrower is servant to him that lendeth.
8 He that soweth unrighteousness shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his wrath shall have an end.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap evils, and with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
He that is inclined to mercy shall be blessed: for of his bread he hath given to the poor. He that maketh presents shall purchase victory and honour: but he carrieth away the souls of the receivers.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention will depart, and strife and ignominy shall cease.
Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall go out with him, and quarrels and reproaches shall cease.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, upon whose lips is grace, the king is his friend.
He that loveth cleanness of heart, for the grace of his lips shall have the king for his friend.
12 The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge; but he overthroweth the words of the unfaithful.
The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge: and the words of the unjust are overthrown.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion without, I shall be killed in the streets!
The slothful man saith: There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the midst of the streets.
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep ditch: he with whom Jehovah is displeased shall fall therein.
The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit: he whom the Lord is angry with, shall fall into it.
15 Folly is bound in the heart of a child; the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction shall drive it away.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, it is to enrich him; he that giveth to the rich, [bringeth] only to want.
He that oppresseth the poor, to increase his own riches, shall himself give to one that is richer, and shall be in need.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
Incline thy ear, and hear the words of the wise: and apply thy heart to my doctrine:
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee: they shall be together fitted on thy lips.
Which shall be beautiful for thee, if thou keep it in thy bowels, and it shall flow in thy lips:
19 That thy confidence may be in Jehovah, I have made [them] known to thee this day, even to thee.
That thy trust may be in the Lord, wherefore I have also shewn it to thee this day.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things, in counsels and knowledge,
Behold I have described it to thee three manner of ways, in thoughts 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?
That I might shew thee the certainty, and the words of truth, to answer out of these to them that sent thee.
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate;
Do no violence to the poor, because he is poor: and do not oppress the needy in the gate:
23 for Jehovah will plead their cause, and despoil the soul of those that despoil them.
Because the Lord will judge his cause, and will afflict them that have afflicted his soul.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and go not with a furious man;
Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man:
25 lest thou learn his paths, and get a snare to thy soul.
Lest perhaps thou learn his ways, and take scandal to thy soul.
26 Be not of them that strike hands, of them that are sureties for debts:
Be not with them that fasten down their hands, and that offer themselves sureties for debts:
27 if thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
For if thou have not wherewith to restore, what cause is there, that he should take the covering from thy bed?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.
Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set.
29 Hast thou seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before the mean.
Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.
