Proverbs 22
1 A good name is to be chosen over great riches and favor is better than silver and gold.
A good name is preferable to abundant riches, and good grace, to silver and to gold.
2 Rich and poor people have this in common— Yahweh is the maker of all of them.
The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker them all.
3 A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive go on and suffer because of it.
The prudent foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 The reward for humility and fear of Yahweh is riches, honor, and life.
The reward of humility [and] the fear of the Lord are riches and honor, and life.
5 Thorns and snares lie in the path of the perverse; whoever guards his life will keep far from them.
Thorns and snares are on the way of a perverse man: he that doth guard his soul will keep far from them.
6 Teach a child the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn away from that instruction.
Train up the lad in accordance with his course: even when he groweth old, will he not depart from it.
7 Rich people rule over poor people and one who borrows is a slave to the one who lends.
A rich man ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the man that lendeth.
8 He who sows injustice will reap trouble and the rod of his fury will fade away.
He that soweth injustice will reap wrong-doing; and the rod of God's wrath will not fail.
9 The one who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
A man of a benevolent eye will indeed be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 Drive away the mocker, and out goes strife; disputes and insults will cease.
Drive away the scorner, and strife will go off; and then will cease contention and dishonor.
11 The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious, he will have the king for his friend.
He that loveth with a pure heart, and hath grace on his lips, will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.
The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge, and he overturneth the words of the treacherous.
13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion in the street! I will be killed in the open places.”
The slothful saith, There is a lion without, in the midst of the streets shall I be murdered.
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; Yahweh's anger is stirred up against anyone who falls into it.
A deep pit is the mouth of adulterous women: he that hath obtained the indignation of the Lord will fall thereinto.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far away.
When folly is bound fast to the heart of a lad, the rod of correction must remove it far from him.
16 The one who oppresses poor people to increase his wealth, or gives to rich people, will come to poverty.
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, [must at length] give to the rich, and come only to want.
17 Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise and apply your heart to my knowledge,
Incline thy ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
18 for it will be pleasant for you if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thy bosom, if they be altogether firmly seated upon thy lips.
19 So your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach them to you today—even to you.
That thy trust may be in the Lord, have I made them known to thee this day, yea, even to thee.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings of instruction and knowledge,
Have not I written for thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21 to teach you truth in these trustworthy words, so you may give trustworthy answers to those who sent you?
That I might make thee know rectitude, the sayings of truth; that thou mightest bring back answers of truth to those that send thee?
22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush the needy at the gate,
Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither crush the afflicted in the gate;
23 for Yahweh will plead their case, and he will rob of life those who robbed them.
For the Lord will plead their cause, and despoil the life of those that despoil them.
24 Do not make a friend of someone who is ruled by anger and you must not go with one who rages,
Make no friendship with a man given to anger; and with a man of fury thou must have no intercourse:
25 or you will learn his ways and you will take bait for your soul.
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare for thy own soul.
26 Do not be one who strikes hands in making a pledge, or who puts up security for debts.
Be not one of those that pledge their hand, or of those that are sureties for debts.
27 If you lack the means to pay, what could stop someone from taking away your bed from under you?
If thou have nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Do not remove the ancient boundary stone that your fathers have set.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have established.
29 Do you see a man skilled at his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before common people.
Seest thou a man that is diligent in his work? before kings may he place himself: let him not place himself before obscure men.
