Proverbs 22
1 A good name is to be chosen aboue great riches, and louing fauour is aboue siluer and aboue golde.
A fair name is better than much wealth, and good favour is above silver and gold.
2 The rich and poore meete together: the Lord is the maker of them all.
The rich and the poor meet together; but the Lord made them both.
3 A prudent man seeth the plague, and hideth himselfe: but the foolish goe on still, and are punished.
An intelligent man seeing a bad man severely punished is himself instructed, but fools pass by and are punished.
4 The rewarde of humilitie, and the feare of God is riches, and glory, and life.
The fear of the Lord is the offspring of wisdom, and wealth, and glory, and life.
5 Thornes and snares are in the way of the frowarde: but he that regardeth his soule, will depart farre from them.
Thistles and snares are in perverse ways; but he that keeps his soul will refrain from them.
6 Teache a childe in the trade of his way, and when he is olde, he shall not depart from it.
7 The rich ruleth the poore, and the borower is seruant to the man that lendeth.
The rich will rule over the poor, and servants will lend to their own masters.
8 He that soweth iniquitie, shall reape affliction, and the rodde of his anger shall faile.
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.
9 He that hath a good eye, he shalbe blessed: for he giueth of his bread vnto the poore.
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].
10 Cast out the scorner, and strife shall go out: so contention and reproche shall cease.
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.
11 Hee that loueth purenesse of heart for the grace of his lippes, the King shalbe his friend.
The Lord loves holy hearts, and all blameless persons are acceptable with him: a king rules with his lips.
12 The eyes of the Lord preserue knowledge: but hee ouerthroweth the wordes of the transgressour.
But the eyes of the Lord preserve discretion; but the transgressor despises [wise] words.
13 The slouthfull man saith, A lyon is without, I shall be slaine in the streete.
The sluggard makes excuses, and says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and murderers in the streets.
14 The mouth of strage women is as a deepe pit: he with whom the Lord is angry, shall fall therein.
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.
15 Foolishnesse is bounde in the heart of a childe: but the rodde of correction shall driue it away from him.
Folly is attached to the heart of a child, but the rod and instruction are [then] far from him.
16 Hee that oppresseth the poore to increase him selfe, and giueth vnto the riche, shall surely come to pouertie.
He that oppresses the poor, increases his own substance, yet gives to the rich so as to make it less.
17 Incline thine eare, and heare the wordes of the wise, and apply thine heart vnto my knowledge.
Incline thine ear to the words of wise men: hear also my word, and apply thine heart,
18 For it shalbe pleasant, if thou keepe them in thy bellie, and if they be directed together in thy lippes.
that thou mayest know that they are good: and if thou lay them to heart, they shall also gladden thee on thy lips.
19 That thy confidence may be in the Lord, I haue shewed thee this day: thou therefore take heede.
That thy hope may be in the Lord, and he may make thy way known to thee.
20 Haue not I written vnto thee three times in counsels and knowledge,
And do thou too repeatedly record them for thyself on the table of thine heart, for counsel and knowledge.
21 That I might shewe thee the assurance of the wordes of trueth to answere the wordes of trueth to them that sende to thee?
I therefore teach thee truth, and knowledge good to hear; that thou mayest answer words of truth to them that question thee.
22 Robbe not the poore, because hee is poore, neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement.
Do no violence to the poor, for he is needy: neither dishonour the helpless [man] in the gates.
23 For the Lord will defende their cause, and spoyle the soule of those that spoyle them.
For the Lord will plead his cause, and thou shalt deliver thy soul in safety.
24 Make no friendship with an angrie man, neither goe with the furious man,
Be not companion to a furious man; neither lodge with a passionate man:
25 Least thou learne his wayes, and receiue destruction to thy soule.
lest thou learn of his ways, and get snares to thy soul.
26 Be not thou of them that touch the hand, nor among them that are suretie for debts.
Become not surety from respect of a man's person.
27 If thou hast nothing to paye, why causest thou that he should take thy bed from vnder thee?
For if those have not whence to give compensation, they will take the bed [that is] under thee.
28 Thou shalt not remooue the ancient bounds which thy fathers haue made.
Remove not the old landmarks, which thy fathers placed.
29 Thou seest that a diligent man in his businesse standeth before Kings, and standeth not before the base sort.
It is fit that an observant man and [one] diligent in his business should attend on kings, and not attend on slothful men.
