Proverbs 22
1 More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.
3 A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
4 The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares, are in the way of the perverse, —he that guardeth his soul, shall be far from them.
Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them.
6 Train up a youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh old, he will 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 The rich, over the poor, beareth rule, —and, slave, is the borrower to the lender.
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
8 He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
9 A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
10 Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.
11 Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.
12 The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.
13 Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”
14 A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it.
15 Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.
17 Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise— apply your mind to my knowledge—
18 For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well together, upon thy lips.
for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips.
19 That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you.
20 Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge,
21 To cause thee to know the meaning of faithful sayings, that thou mayest give back faithful sayings to them who ask thee.
to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you?
22 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate,
23 For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.
24 Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man,
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.
29 Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
