Proverbs 22
1 A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
A fair name is better than much wealth, and good favour is above silver and gold.
2 The rich and poor meet 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 forsees the evil, and hides himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
An intelligent man seeing a bad man severely punished is himself instructed, but fools pass by and are punished.
4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
The fear of the Lord is the offspring of wisdom, and wealth, and glory, and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse: he that does keep his soul shall be far from them.
Thistles and snares are in perverse ways; but he that keeps his soul will refrain from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
The rich will rule over the poor, and servants will lend to their own masters.
8 He that sows iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
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 has a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he gives of his bread to the poor.
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 contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach 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 He that loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be 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 preserve knowledge, and he overthrows the words of the transgressor.
But the eyes of the Lord preserve discretion; but the transgressor despises [wise] words.
13 The slothful man says, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
The sluggard makes excuses, and says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and murderers in the streets.
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD 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 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Folly is attached to the heart of a child, but the rod and instruction are [then] far from him.
16 He that oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he that gives to the rich, shall surely come to lack.
He that oppresses the poor, increases his own substance, yet gives to the rich so as to make it less.
17 Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart unto my knowledge.
Incline thine ear to the words of wise men: hear also my word, and apply thine heart,
18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; they shall likewise be fitted in your lips.
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 your trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to you this day, even to you.
That thy hope may be in the Lord, and he may make thy way known to thee.
20 Have not I written to you excellent things 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 make you know the certainty of the words of truth; that you might answer the words of truth to them that send unto you?
I therefore teach thee truth, and knowledge good to hear; that thou mayest answer words of truth to them that question thee.
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
Do no violence to the poor, for he is needy: neither dishonour the helpless [man] in the gates.
23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
For the Lord will plead his cause, and thou shalt deliver thy soul in safety.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man you shall not go:
Be not companion to a furious man; neither lodge with a passionate man:
25 Lest you learn his ways, and get a snare to your soul.
lest thou learn of his ways, and get snares to thy soul.
26 Be not you one of them that shake hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
Become not surety from respect of a man's person.
27 If you have nothing to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?
For if those have not whence to give compensation, they will take the bed [that is] under thee.
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which your fathers have set.
Remove not the old landmarks, which thy fathers placed.
29 See you a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
It is fit that an observant man and [one] diligent in his business should attend on kings, and not attend on slothful men.
