Proverbs 22
1 A good name is to be chosen over great riches and favor is better than silver and gold.
More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
2 Rich and poor people have this in common— Yahweh is the maker of all of them.
The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
3 A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive go on and suffer because of it.
A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
4 The reward for humility and fear of Yahweh is riches, honor, and life.
The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
5 Thorns and snares lie in the path of the perverse; whoever guards his life will keep far from them.
Thorns and snares, are in the way of the perverse, —he that guardeth his soul, shall be far from them.
6 Teach a child the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn away from that instruction.
Train up a youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh old, he will not depart from it.
7 Rich people rule over poor people and one who borrows is a slave to the one who lends.
The rich, over the poor, beareth rule, —and, slave, is the borrower to the lender.
8 He who sows injustice will reap trouble and the rod of his fury will fade away.
He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
9 The one who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
10 Drive away the mocker, and out goes strife; disputes and insults will cease.
Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
11 The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious, he will have the king for his friend.
Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
12 The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.
The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion in the street! I will be killed in the open places.”
Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; Yahweh's anger is stirred up against anyone who falls into it.
A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far away.
Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
16 The one who oppresses poor people to increase his wealth, or gives to rich people, will come to poverty.
He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17 Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise and apply your heart to my knowledge,
Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
18 for it will be pleasant for you if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well together, upon thy lips.
19 So your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach them to you today—even to you.
That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings of instruction and knowledge,
Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
21 to teach you truth in these trustworthy words, so you may give trustworthy answers to those who sent you?
To cause thee to know the meaning of faithful sayings, that thou mayest give back faithful sayings to them who ask thee.
22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush the needy at the gate,
Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
23 for Yahweh will plead their case, and he will rob of life those who robbed them.
For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
24 Do not make a friend of someone who is ruled by anger and you must not go with one who rages,
Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
25 or you will learn his ways and you will take bait for your soul.
Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
26 Do not be one who strikes hands in making a pledge, or who puts up security for debts.
Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
27 If you lack the means to pay, what could stop someone from taking away your bed from under you?
If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Do not remove the ancient boundary stone that your fathers have set.
Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
29 Do you see a man skilled at his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before common people.
Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
