Proverbs 22
1 A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold — good grace.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
2 Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all [is] Jehovah.
The rich and the poor meet together — the LORD is the maker of them all.
3 The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the thoughtless pass on, and are punished.
4 The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.
The reward of humility is the fear of the LORD, even riches, and honour, and life.
5 Thorns — snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.
Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward; he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself 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 even 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 ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity; and the rod of his wrath shall fail.
9 The good of eye — he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 Cast out a scorner — and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.
Cast out the scorner, and contention will go out; yea, strife and shame will cease.
11 Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend.
He that loveth pureness of heart, that hath grace in his lips, the king shall be his friend.
12 The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.
The eyes of the LORD preserve him that hath knowledge, but He overthroweth the words of the faithless man.
13 The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'
The sluggard saith: 'There is a lion without; I shall be slain in the streets.'
14 A deep pit [is] the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.
The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
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 correction shall drive it far from him.
16 He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich — only to want.
One may oppress the poor, yet will their gain increase; one may give to the rich, yet will want come.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,
Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto 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 a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; let them be established altogether upon thy lips.
19 That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.
That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?
Have not I written unto thee excellent things of counsels and knowledge;
21 To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.
That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mightest bring back words of truth to them that send thee?
22 Rob not the poor because he [is] poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.
Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate;
23 For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
For the LORD will plead their cause, and despoil of life those that despoil them.
24 Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,
Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; and with a wrathful man thou shalt not go;
25 Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
Be thou not of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts;
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?
If thou hast not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29 Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
