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, and 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: the LORD 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 foreseeth 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.
By humility and the fear of the LORD are 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 doth keep 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 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 iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
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 shall end; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
11 Whoever is loving cleanness of heart, His lips [are] grace, A king [is] his friend.
He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
12 The eyes of YHWH have kept knowledge, And He overthrows the words of the treacherous.
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
13 The slothful has said, “A lion [is] outside, I am slain in the midst of the broad places.”
The slothful man saith, 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 an adulteress is a deep pit: he that is abhorred by the LORD 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 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 that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17 Incline your ear, and hear words of the wise, And set your heart to my knowledge,
Bow down thy 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 keepest them within thee; they shall all be ready on thy lips.
19 That your trust may be in YHWH, I caused you to know today, even you.
That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made 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 answer the words of truth to them that send to 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 the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled 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 with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 Lest you learn his paths, And have received a snare to your soul.
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Do not be among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or 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!
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before obscure men.
