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 favour rather than silver and gold.
2 Rich and poor have met together, YHWH [is] the Maker of them all.
The rich and 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] seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
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 honour, 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 the perverse: he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself 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 the child according to the tenor of his way, and 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 ruleth 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 that soweth unrighteousness shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his wrath shall have an end.
9 The good of eye—he is blessed, For he has given 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 Cast out a scorner—and contention goes out, And strife and shame cease.
Cast out the scorner, and contention will depart, and strife and ignominy shall cease.
11 Whoever is loving cleanness of heart, His lips [are] grace, A king [is] his friend.
He that loveth pureness of heart, upon whose lips is grace, the king is 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 overthroweth the words of the unfaithful.
13 The slothful has said, “A lion [is] outside, I am slain in the midst of the broad places.”
The sluggard saith, There is a lion without, I shall be killed in the streets!
14 The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit, The abhorred of YHWH falls there.
The mouth of strange women is a deep ditch: he with whom Jehovah is displeased shall fall therein.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of discipline puts it far from him.
Folly is bound in the heart of a child; 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 that oppresseth the poor, it is to enrich him; he that giveth to the rich, [bringeth] 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 unto 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: they shall be together fitted on thy lips.
19 That your trust may be in YHWH, I caused you to know today, even you.
That thy confidence 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 not I written to thee excellent things, in counsels and knowledge,
21 To cause you to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending you.
that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?
22 Do not rob the poor because he [is] poor, And do not bruise the afflicted in the gate.
Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted 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 the soul of those that 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 an angry man, and go not with a furious man;
25 Lest you learn his paths, And have received a snare to your soul.
lest thou learn his paths, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Do not be among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
Be not of them that strike hands, of them that are sureties for debts:
27 If you have nothing to pay, Why does he take your bed from under you?
if thou hast nothing 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!
Hast thou seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before the mean.
