Proverbs 22
1 A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold — good grace.
(Having a good reputation/Being honored by people) is better than having a lot of money; being well respected is better than having plenty of gold or silver [DOU].
2 Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all [is] Jehovah.
There is one thing that is true about both rich people and poor people: Yahweh is the one who created all of them.
3 The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
Those who have good sense realize [that there is something] dangerous ahead, and they avoid it; those who do not have good sense just keep going and later they will suffer because of doing that.
4 The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.
The reward that Yahweh gives to those who are humble and who revere him is that he causes them to be rich and honored and to live for a long time.
5 Thorns — snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.
Because of the things that wicked people do, [they have difficulties/troubles] that will be like thorns and traps on the roads that they walk on [MET]; people who are careful/cautious will be able to stay away from those difficulties.
6 Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it.
If you train/teach children to do what is right, all during their life they will act/behave in that manner.
7 The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.
Rich people rule over poor people harshly, and those who borrow money become like slaves [MET] of the people who lend [money to them].
8 Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.
[If you plant corn or rice, corn or rice will grow]; [similarly], if you act unjustly, you will have disasters [MET]; and if you try to harm/oppress people [because you are angry with them], you will not be able to harm them.
9 The good of eye — he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
[God] will bless those who are generous [IDM], those who give some of their food to poor [people].
10 Cast out a scorner — and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.
If you get rid of those who make fun of [everything that is good], there will no more arguing or quarreling or insulting [other people].
11 Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend.
If you always act sincerely [IDM] and always speak kindly, the king will be your friend.
12 The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.
Yahweh [SYN] (watches over/takes care of) [those who have] good understanding/sense, but he ruins the plans/affairs of those who always try to deceive others.
13 The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'
Lazy people [remain in their houses]; they say, “A lion might attack me if I go out into the street [to go to work]!”
14 A deep pit [is] the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.
What (wives who commit adultery/immoral women) say [to men] [MTY] is [like] a deep pit [MET] [into which those men fall]; those with whom Yahweh is angry will fall into that pit.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.
Children [SYN] naturally do things that are foolish, but if you punish/spank them [PRS], they [will] (stop doing foolish things/learn to behave as they should).
16 He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich — only to want.
Those who oppress poor [people] in order to become rich, and those who give [a bribe] to rich [people in order that the rich people will do a favor for them], will just lose their money.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,
[Now] listen [MTY] to what wise [people] have said; think carefully about what I am teaching you.
18 For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips.
It will be good to (keep these things in your minds/always remember them), because if you do that, you will be able to quote/recite them [to others].
19 That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.
[I want you to] trust in Yahweh, and that is the reason that I am telling them to you, now.
20 Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?
I have written [RHQ] 30 (sayings/things that wise people have said) from which you will receive good advice and you will be able you to know [many good/useful things].
21 To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.
From them, you will learn what is right and what is true, in order that you will be able to bring back a good report to those who sent you [to school] (OR, give a good answer [to those who ask you questions]).
22 Rob not the poor because he [is] poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.
[It is easy to] rob poor [people] who are helpless [and cannot defend themselves, but] never [do that]; and do not oppress in court those who are needy/afflicted,
23 For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
because Yahweh will speak to defend them, and he will punish those who steal things from others—by causing them to die.
24 Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,
Do not become friends with those who often become angry, and do not associate with those who cannot control their temper/anger,
25 Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.
because you might start to act like they do and not be able to stop doing that.
26 Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
If someone borrows money, do not be one of those who promises to pay what that person owes he cannot pay it back,
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?
because if you cannot pay it back, people will surely [RHQ] [come and] take away [everything you own], even your bed.
28 Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.
Do not [steal some of your neighbors’ land by] removing the boundary lines/markers that your ancestors placed/set.
29 Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
Know/Learn [RHQ] this about those who do their work very skillfully: They will quit working for ordinary people and will start working for kings [because the kings will want people like that to work for them].
