Proverbs 22
1 A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold — good grace.
A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.
2 Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all [is] Jehovah.
The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.
3 The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
4 The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.
The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.
5 Thorns — snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.
Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them.
6 Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
8 Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.
He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
9 The good of eye — he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
10 Cast out a scorner — and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.
Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.
11 Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend.
He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.
12 The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.
The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.
13 The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'
The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”
14 A deep pit [is] the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.
The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich — only to want.
Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,
Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise— apply your mind to my knowledge—
18 For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips.
for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips.
19 That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.
So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you.
20 Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?
Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge,
21 To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.
to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you?
22 Rob not the poor because he [is] poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.
Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate,
23 For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.
24 Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,
Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man,
25 Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.
or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?
If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
28 Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.
Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.
29 Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
