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 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] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.
By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] 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 doth keep his soul shall be 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 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 anger 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 shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
11 Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend.
He that loveth pureness of heart, [for] the grace of 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 knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
13 The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'
The slothful [man] 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 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.
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his [riches, and] he that giveth to the rich, [shall] surely [come] to want.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,
Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine 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; they shall withal be fitted in 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 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 to thee excellent things in 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 answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
22 Rob not the poor because he [is] poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.
Rob not the poor, because he [is] poor: neither oppress the afflicted 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 spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24 Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious 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 not thou [one] 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 nothing 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].
