Proverbs 22
1 A good name is to be chosen aboue great riches, and louing fauour is aboue siluer and aboue golde.
A good name is to be chosen over great riches and favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and poore meete together: the Lord is the maker of them all.
Rich and poor people have this in common— Yahweh is the maker of all of them.
3 A prudent man seeth the plague, and hideth himselfe: but the foolish goe on still, and are punished.
A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive go on and suffer because of it.
4 The rewarde of humilitie, and the feare of God is riches, and glory, and life.
The reward for humility and fear of Yahweh is riches, honor, and life.
5 Thornes and snares are in the way of the frowarde: but he that regardeth his soule, will depart farre from them.
Thorns and snares lie in the path of the perverse; whoever guards his life will keep far from them.
6 Teache a childe in the trade of his way, and when he is olde, he shall not depart from it.
Teach a child the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn away from that instruction.
7 The rich ruleth the poore, and the borower is seruant to the man that lendeth.
Rich people rule over poor people and one who borrows is a slave to the one who lends.
8 He that soweth iniquitie, shall reape affliction, and the rodde of his anger shall faile.
He who sows injustice will reap trouble and the rod of his fury will fade away.
9 He that hath a good eye, he shalbe blessed: for he giueth of his bread vnto the poore.
The one who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
10 Cast out the scorner, and strife shall go out: so contention and reproche shall cease.
Drive away the mocker, and out goes strife; disputes and insults will cease.
11 Hee that loueth purenesse of heart for the grace of his lippes, the King shalbe his friend.
The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious, he will have the king for his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord preserue knowledge: but hee ouerthroweth the wordes of the transgressour.
The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.
13 The slouthfull man saith, A lyon is without, I shall be slaine in the streete.
The lazy person says, “There is a lion in the street! I will be killed in the open places.”
14 The mouth of strage women is as a deepe pit: he with whom the Lord is angry, shall fall therein.
The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; Yahweh's anger is stirred up against anyone who falls into it.
15 Foolishnesse is bounde in the heart of a childe: but the rodde of correction shall driue it away from him.
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far away.
16 Hee that oppresseth the poore to increase him selfe, and giueth vnto the riche, shall surely come to pouertie.
The one who oppresses poor people to increase his wealth, or gives to rich people, will come to poverty.
17 Incline thine eare, and heare the wordes of the wise, and apply thine heart vnto my knowledge.
Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 For it shalbe pleasant, if thou keepe them in thy bellie, and if they be directed together in thy lippes.
for it will be pleasant for you if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That thy confidence may be in the Lord, I haue shewed thee this day: thou therefore take heede.
So your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach them to you today—even to you.
20 Haue not I written vnto thee three times in counsels and knowledge,
Have I not written for you thirty sayings of instruction and knowledge,
21 That I might shewe thee the assurance of the wordes of trueth to answere the wordes of trueth to them that sende to thee?
to teach you truth in these trustworthy words, so you may give trustworthy answers to those who sent you?
22 Robbe not the poore, because hee is poore, neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement.
Do not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush the needy at the gate,
23 For the Lord will defende their cause, and spoyle the soule of those that spoyle them.
for Yahweh will plead their case, and he will rob of life those who robbed them.
24 Make no friendship with an angrie man, neither goe with the furious man,
Do not make a friend of someone who is ruled by anger and you must not go with one who rages,
25 Least thou learne his wayes, and receiue destruction to thy soule.
or you will learn his ways and you will take bait for your soul.
26 Be not thou of them that touch the hand, nor among them that are suretie for debts.
Do not be one who strikes hands in making a pledge, or who puts up security for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to paye, why causest thou that he should take thy bed from vnder thee?
If you lack the means to pay, what could stop someone from taking away your bed from under you?
28 Thou shalt not remooue the ancient bounds which thy fathers haue made.
Do not remove the ancient boundary stone that your fathers have set.
29 Thou seest that a diligent man in his businesse standeth before Kings, and standeth not before the base sort.
Do you see a man skilled at his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before common people.
