Proverbs 22

1 A good name is preferable to abundant riches, and good grace, to silver and to gold.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

2 The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker them all.

The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

3 The prudent foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

4 The reward of humility [and] the fear of the Lord are riches and honor, and life.

By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, 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.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

6 Train up the lad in accordance with his course: even when he groweth old, will he not depart from it.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and 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 the lender.

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 vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

9 A man of a benevolent eye will indeed be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

10 Drive away the scorner, and strife will go off; and then will cease contention and dishonor.

Cast out the scorner, and contention shall end; yea, strife and reproach 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 pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be 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 he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

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 outside, I shall be slain in 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 an adulteress is a deep pit: he that is abhorred by the LORD shall fall in it.

15 When folly is bound fast to the heart of a lad, the rod of correction must remove it far from him.

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

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 riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

17 Incline thy ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.

Bow down thy ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart to my knowledge.

18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thy bosom, if they be altogether firmly seated upon thy lips.

For it is a pleasant thing if thou keepest them within thee; they shall all be ready on 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, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

20 Have not I written for thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels 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 make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send to thee?

22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither crush the afflicted in the gate;

Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

23 For the Lord will plead their cause, and despoil the life of those that despoil them.

For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger; and with a man of fury thou must have no intercourse:

Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare for thy own soul.

Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

26 Be not one of those that pledge their hand, or of those that are sureties for debts.

Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

27 If thou have nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have established.

Remove not the ancient landmark, 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.

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before obscure men.