Proverbs 22
1 A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.
More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is the maker of them all.
The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
3 A prudent man sees danger and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
4 The result of humility and the fear of the LORD is wealth, honor, and life.
The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked; whoever guards his soul stays far from them.
Thorns and snares, are in the way of the perverse, —he that guardeth his soul, shall be far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Train up a youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh old, he will not depart from it.
7 The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.
The rich, over the poor, beareth rule, —and, slave, is the borrower to the lender.
8 He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
10 Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.
Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
11 He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king’s friend.
Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
12 The LORD’s eyes watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!”
Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit. He who is under the LORD’s wrath will fall into it.
A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.
He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17 Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching.
Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
18 For it is a pleasant thing 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 I teach you today, even you, so that your trust may be in the LORD.
That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
20 Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge,
Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
21 To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones 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 Don’t exploit the poor because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;
Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
23 for the LORD will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.
For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
24 Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man. Don’t associate with one who harbors anger,
Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
25 lest you learn his ways and ensnare your soul.
Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
26 Don’t you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.
Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
27 If you don’t have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?
If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone which your fathers have set up.
Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.
Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
