Proverbs 22

1 A good name is to be chosen over great riches and favor is better than silver and gold.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

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 LORD is the maker of them all.

3 A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive go on and suffer because of it.

A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the thoughtless pass on, and are punished.

4 The reward for humility and fear of Yahweh is riches, honor, and life.

The reward of humility is the fear of the LORD, even 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 froward; he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself 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 child in the way he should go, and even when he is 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 ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

8 He who sows injustice will reap trouble and the rod of his fury will fade away.

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity; and the rod of his wrath shall fail.

9 The one who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

10 Drive away the mocker, and out goes strife; disputes and insults will cease.

Cast out the scorner, and contention will go out; yea, strife and shame will cease.

11 The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious, he will have the king for his friend.

He that loveth pureness of heart, that hath grace in his lips, the king shall be his friend.

12 The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows 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 lazy person says, “There is a lion in the street! I will be killed in the open places.”

The sluggard saith: 'There is a lion without; I shall be slain in the streets.'

14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; Yahweh's anger is stirred up against anyone who falls into it.

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

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 child; but 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.

One may oppress the poor, yet will their gain increase; one may give to the rich, yet will want come.

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 the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.

18 for it will be pleasant for you if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.

For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; let them be established altogether upon thy lips.

19 So your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach them to you today—even to you.

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 for you thirty sayings of instruction and knowledge,

Have not I written unto thee excellent things of counsels and knowledge;

21 to teach you truth in these trustworthy words, so you may give trustworthy answers to those who sent you?

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 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, or crush the needy at the gate,

Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate;

23 for Yahweh will plead their case, and he will rob of life those who robbed them.

For the LORD will plead their cause, and despoil of life those that despoil them.

24 Do not make a friend of someone who is ruled by anger and you must not go with one who rages,

Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; and with a wrathful man thou shalt not go;

25 or you will learn his ways and you will take bait for your soul.

Lest thou learn his ways, and get 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 thou not of them that strike hands, or of them that 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 not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

28 Do not remove the ancient boundary stone that your fathers have set.

Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

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 diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.