Proverbs 22
1 More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
A fair name is better than much wealth, and good favour is above silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
The rich and the poor meet together; but the Lord made them both.
3 A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
An intelligent man seeing a bad man severely punished is himself instructed, but fools pass by and are punished.
4 The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
The fear of the Lord is the offspring of wisdom, and wealth, and glory, and life.
5 Thorns and snares, are in the way of the perverse, —he that guardeth his soul, shall be far from them.
Thistles and snares are in perverse ways; but he that keeps his soul will refrain from them.
6 Train up a youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh 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 will rule over the poor, and servants will lend to their own masters.
8 He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
He that sows wickedness shall reap troubles; and shall fully receive the punishment of his deeds. God loves a cheerful and liberal man; but [a man] shall fully prove the folly of his works.
9 A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
He that has pity on the poor shall himself be maintained; for he has given of his own bread to the poor. He that gives liberally secures victory an honour; but he takes away the life of them that posses [them].
10 Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
Cast out a pestilent person from the council, and strife shall go out with him; for when he sits in the council he dishonours all.
11 Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
The Lord loves holy hearts, and all blameless persons are acceptable with him: a king rules with his lips.
12 The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
But the eyes of the Lord preserve discretion; but the transgressor despises [wise] words.
13 Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
The sluggard makes excuses, and says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and murderers in the streets.
14 A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
The mouth of a transgressor is a deep pit; and he that is hated of the Lord shall fall into it. Evil ways are before a man, and he does not like to turn away from them; but it is needful to turn aside from a perverse and bad way.
15 Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
Folly is attached to the heart of a child, but the rod and instruction are [then] far from him.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
He that oppresses the poor, increases his own substance, yet gives to the rich so as to make it less.
17 Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
Incline thine ear to the words of wise men: hear also my word, and apply thine heart,
18 For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well together, upon thy lips.
that thou mayest know that they are good: and if thou lay them to heart, they shall also gladden thee on thy lips.
19 That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
That thy hope may be in the Lord, and he may make thy way known to thee.
20 Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
And do thou too repeatedly record them for thyself on the table of thine heart, for 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.
I therefore teach thee truth, and knowledge good to hear; that thou mayest answer words of truth to them that question thee.
22 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
Do no violence to the poor, for he is needy: neither dishonour the helpless [man] in the gates.
23 For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
For the Lord will plead his cause, and thou shalt deliver thy soul in safety.
24 Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
Be not companion to a furious man; neither lodge with a passionate man:
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
lest thou learn of his ways, and get snares to thy soul.
26 Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
Become not surety from respect of a man's person.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
For if those have not whence to give compensation, they will take the bed [that is] under thee.
28 Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
Remove not the old landmarks, which thy fathers placed.
29 Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
It is fit that an observant man and [one] diligent in his business should attend on kings, and not attend on slothful men.
