Proverbs 22
1 A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favour is better than silver and gold.
A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold — good grace.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is the maker of them all.
Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all [is] Jehovah.
3 A prudent man sees danger and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
4 The result of humility and the fear of the LORD is wealth, honour, and life.
The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked; whoever guards his soul stays far from them.
Thorns — snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoso 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 turneth not from it.
7 The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.
The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.
8 He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.
9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
The good of eye — he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
10 Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.
Cast out a scorner — and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.
11 He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king’s friend.
Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend.
12 The LORD’s eyes watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!”
The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit. He who is under the LORD’s wrath will fall into it.
A deep pit [is] the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.
He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich — only to want.
17 Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching.
Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,
18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips.
19 I teach you today, even you, so that your trust may be in the LORD.
That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.
20 Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,
Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?
21 To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?
To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.
22 Don’t exploit the poor because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;
Rob not the poor because he [is] poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.
23 for the LORD will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.
For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
24 Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man. Don’t associate with one who harbours anger,
Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,
25 lest you learn his ways and ensnare your soul.
Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.
26 Don’t you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.
Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
27 If you don’t have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?
If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?
28 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone which your fathers have set up.
Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.
Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
