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 to be chosen over great riches and favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and poor meet together; Jehovah is the maker of them all.
Rich and poor people have this in common— Yahweh is the maker of all of them.
3 A prudent [man] seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive go on and suffer because of it.
4 The reward of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah is riches, and honour, and life.
The reward for humility and fear of Yahweh is riches, 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 in the path of the perverse; whoever guards his life will keep 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.
Teach a child the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn away from that instruction.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor; and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Rich people rule over poor people and one who borrows is a slave to the one who lends.
8 He that soweth unrighteousness shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his wrath shall have an end.
He who sows injustice will reap trouble and the rod of his fury will fade away.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
The one who has a generous eye 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 away the mocker, and out goes strife; disputes and insults will cease.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, upon whose lips is grace, the king is his friend.
The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious, he will have the king for his friend.
12 The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge; but he overthroweth the words of the unfaithful.
The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion without, I shall be killed in the streets!
The lazy person says, “There is a lion in the street! I will be killed in the open places.”
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; Yahweh's anger is stirred up against anyone who falls 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 away.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, it is to enrich him; he that giveth to the rich, [bringeth] only to want.
The one who oppresses poor people to increase his wealth, or gives to rich people, will come to poverty.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise and apply your heart 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 will be pleasant for you if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That thy confidence may be in Jehovah, I have made [them] known to thee this day, even to thee.
So your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach them to you today—even to you.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things, in counsels and knowledge,
Have I not written for you thirty sayings of instruction 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 teach you truth in these trustworthy words, so you may give trustworthy answers to those who sent you?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate;
Do not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush the needy at the gate,
23 for Jehovah will plead their cause, and despoil the soul of those that despoil them.
for Yahweh will plead their case, and he will rob of life those who robbed them.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and go not with a furious man;
Do not make a friend of someone who is ruled by anger and you must not go with one who rages,
25 lest thou learn his paths, and get a snare to thy soul.
or you will learn his ways and you will take bait for your soul.
26 Be not of them that strike hands, of them that are sureties for debts:
Do not be one who strikes hands in making a pledge, or 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 lack the means to pay, what could stop someone from taking away your bed from under you?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.
Do not remove the ancient boundary stone that your 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.
Do you see a man skilled at his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before common people.
