Proverbs 22
1 More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
A good name is better than great riches: 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 poor have met one another: the Lord is the maker of them both.
3 A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.
4 The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches 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.
Arms and swords are in the way of the perverse: but he that keepeth his own soul departeth 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.
It is a proverb: A young man according to his way, even 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 ruleth over the poor: and the borrower is servant to him that lendeth.
8 He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap evils, and with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed.
9 A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
He that is inclined to mercy shall be blessed: for of his bread he hath given to the poor. He that maketh presents shall purchase victory and honour: but he carrieth away the souls of the receivers.
10 Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall go out with him, and quarrels and reproaches shall cease.
11 Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
He that loveth cleanness of heart, for the grace of his lips shall have the king for his friend.
12 The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge: and the words of the unjust are overthrown.
13 Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
The slothful man saith: There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the midst of the streets.
14 A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit: he whom the Lord is angry with, shall fall into it.
15 Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction shall drive it away.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
He that oppresseth the poor, to increase his own riches, shall himself give to one that is richer, and shall be in need.
17 Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
Incline thy ear, and hear the words of the wise: and apply thy heart to my doctrine:
18 For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well together, upon thy lips.
Which shall be beautiful for thee, if thou keep it in thy bowels, and it shall flow in thy lips:
19 That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
That thy trust may be in the Lord, wherefore I have also shewn it to thee this day.
20 Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
Behold I have described it to thee three manner of ways, in thoughts 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.
That I might shew thee the certainty, and the words of truth, to answer out of these to them that sent 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, because he is poor: and do not oppress the needy in the gate:
23 For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
Because the Lord will judge his cause, and will afflict them that have afflicted his soul.
24 Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man:
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
Lest perhaps thou learn his ways, and take scandal to thy soul.
26 Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
Be not with them that fasten down their hands, and that offer themselves sureties for debts:
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
For if thou have not wherewith to restore, what cause is there, that he should take the covering from thy bed?
28 Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set.
29 Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.
