Proverbs 22
1 A good name is preferable to abundant riches, and good grace, to silver and to gold.
A good name is better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold.
2 The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker them all.
The rich and poor have met one another: the Lord is the maker of them both.
3 The prudent foreseeth 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 the Lord are riches and honor, and life.
The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life.
5 Thorns and snares are on the way of a perverse man: he that doth guard his soul will keep 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 lad in accordance with his course: even when he groweth old, will he 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 A rich man ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the man that lendeth.
The rich ruleth over the poor: and the borrower is servant to him that lendeth.
8 He that soweth injustice will reap wrong-doing; and the rod of God's wrath will not fail.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap evils, and with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed.
9 A man of a benevolent eye will indeed 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 Drive away the scorner, and strife will go off; and then will cease contention and dishonor.
Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall go out with him, and quarrels and reproaches shall cease.
11 He that loveth with a pure heart, and hath grace on his lips, will have the king as 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 the Lord guard knowledge, and he overturneth the words of the treacherous.
The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge: and the words of the unjust are overthrown.
13 The slothful saith, There is a lion without, in the midst of the streets shall I be murdered.
The slothful man saith: There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the midst of the streets.
14 A deep pit is the mouth of adulterous women: he that hath obtained the indignation of the Lord will fall thereinto.
The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit: he whom the Lord is angry with, shall fall into it.
15 When folly is bound fast to the heart of a lad, the rod of correction must remove 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 to increase his riches, [must at length] give to the rich, and come 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 thy 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 thy bosom, if they be altogether firmly seated upon 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 trust may be in the Lord, have I made them known to thee this day, yea, 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 for 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 rectitude, the sayings of truth; that thou mightest bring back answers of truth to those 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 crush 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 the Lord will plead their cause, and despoil the life 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 a man given to anger; and with a man of fury thou must have no intercourse:
Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man:
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare for thy own soul.
Lest perhaps thou learn his ways, and take scandal to thy soul.
26 Be not one of those that pledge their hand, or of those that are sureties for debts.
Be not with them that fasten down their hands, and that offer themselves sureties for debts:
27 If thou have 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 established.
Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set.
29 Seest thou a man that is diligent in his work? before kings may he place himself: let him not place himself before obscure men.
Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.
