Proverbs 22
1 A [good] name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, [and] loving favor rather than silver and gold.
A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold—good grace.
2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD [is] the maker of them all.
Rich and poor have met together, YHWH [is] the Maker of them all.
3 A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
The prudent has seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
4 By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honor, and life.
The end of humility [is] the fear of YHWH, riches, and honor, and life.
5 Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoever is keeping his soul is far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he does not turn from it.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.
The rich rules over the poor, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.
8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
Whoever is sowing perverseness reaps sorrow, And the rod of his anger wears out.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
The good of eye—he is blessed, For he has given of his bread to the poor.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall end; yes, strife and reproach shall cease.
Cast out a scorner—and contention goes out, And strife and shame cease.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, [for] the grace of his lips the king [shall be] his friend.
Whoever is loving cleanness of heart, His lips [are] grace, A king [is] his friend.
12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
The eyes of YHWH have kept knowledge, And He overthrows the words of the treacherous.
13 The slothful [man] saith, [There is] a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
The slothful has said, “A lion [is] outside, I am slain in the midst of the broad places.”
14 The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit: he that is abhorred by the LORD shall fall therein.
The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit, The abhorred of YHWH falls there.
15 Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of discipline puts it far from him.
16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his [riches], [and] he that giveth to the rich, [shall] surely [come] to want.
He [who] is oppressing the poor to multiply his [riches], Is giving to the rich—only to want.
17 Bow down thy ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart to my knowledge.
Incline your ear, and hear words of the wise, And set your heart to my knowledge,
18 For [it is] a pleasant thing if thou keepest them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
For they are pleasant when you keep them in your heart, They are prepared together for your lips.
19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
That your trust may be in YHWH, I caused you to know today, even you.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
Have I not written to you three times With counsels and knowledge?
21 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?
To cause you to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending you.
22 Rob not the poor, because he [is] poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
Do not rob the poor because he [is] poor, And do not bruise the afflicted in the gate.
23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
For YHWH pleads their cause, And has spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Do not show yourself friendly with an angry man, And do not go in with a man of fury,
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Lest you learn his paths, And have received a snare to your soul.
26 Be not thou [one] of them that strike hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts.
Do not be among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
If you have nothing to pay, Why does he take your bed from under you?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Do not remove a border of ancient times, That your fathers have made.
29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men].
Have you seen a man speedy in his business? He stations himself before kings, He does not station himself before obscure men!
