Proverbs 22
1 A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold—good grace.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.
2 Rich and poor have met together, YHWH [is] the Maker of them all.
The rich and the poor meet together. Jehovah is the maker of them all.
3 The prudent has seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
A prudent man sees the evil, and hides himself, but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
4 The end of humility [is] the fear of YHWH, riches, and honor, and life.
The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah is riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoever is keeping his soul is far from them.
Thorns and snares are in the way of a perverse man. He who keeps his soul shall be far from them.
6 Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he does not turn from it.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The rich rules over the poor, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 Whoever is sowing perverseness reaps sorrow, And the rod of his anger wears out.
He who sows iniquity shall reap calamity, and the rod of his wrath shall fail.
9 The good of eye—he is blessed, For he has given of his bread to the poor.
He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.
10 Cast out a scorner—and contention goes out, And strife and shame cease.
Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out, yea, strife and reproach will cease.
11 Whoever is loving cleanness of heart, His lips [are] grace, A king [is] his friend.
He who loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips, the king will be his friend.
12 The eyes of YHWH have kept knowledge, And He overthrows the words of the treacherous.
The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous man.
13 The slothful has said, “A lion [is] outside, I am slain in the midst of the broad places.”
The sluggard says, There is a lion outside. I shall be slain in the streets.
14 The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit, The abhorred of YHWH falls there.
The mouth of interloping women is a deep pit. He who is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall in it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of discipline puts it far from him.
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 He [who] is oppressing the poor to multiply his [riches], Is giving to the rich—only to want.
He who oppresses a poor man to his increase, and he who gives to a rich man, comes only to want.
17 Incline your ear, and hear words of the wise, And set your heart to my knowledge,
Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart to my knowledge.
18 For they are pleasant when you keep them in your heart, They are prepared together for your lips.
For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, if they be established together upon thy lips.
19 That your trust may be in YHWH, I caused you to know today, even you.
That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have I not written to you three times With counsels and knowledge?
Have I not written to thee excellent things of counsels and knowledge,
21 To cause you to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending you.
to make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou may carry back words of truth to those who send thee?
22 Do not rob the poor because he [is] poor, And do not bruise the afflicted in the gate.
Do not rob a poor man, because he is poor, nor oppress an afflicted man in the gate.
23 For YHWH pleads their cause, And has spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
For Jehovah will plead their cause, and despoil of life those who despoil them.
24 Do not show yourself friendly with an angry man, And do not go in with a man of fury,
Make no friendship with a man who is given to anger, and thou shall not go with a wrathful man,
25 Lest you learn his paths, And have received a snare to your soul.
lest thou learn this ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Do not be among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
Be thou not one of those who strike hands, or of those who are sureties for debts.
27 If you have nothing to pay, Why does he take your bed from under you?
If thou have not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Do not remove a border of ancient times, That your fathers have made.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29 Have you seen a man speedy in his business? He stations himself before kings, He does not station himself before obscure men!
See thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before obscure men.
