Proverbs 22
New King James Version
The Value of a Good Name
22 A (A)good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself,
But the simple pass on and are (D)punished.
4 By humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards his soul will be far from them.
7 The (F)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.
10 (J)Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
11 (K)He who loves purity of heart
And has grace on his lips,
The king will be his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the faithless.
13 (L)The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be slain in the streets!”
14 (M)The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit;
(N)He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
(O)The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches,
And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.
Sayings of the Wise
17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your heart to my knowledge;
18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;
Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord;
I have instructed you today, even you.
20 Have I not written to you excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 (P)That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth,
(Q)That you may answer words of truth
To those who [d]send to you?
22 Do not rob the (R)poor because he is poor,
Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
23 (S)For the Lord will plead their cause,
And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man,
And with a (T)furious man do not go,
25 Lest you learn his ways
And set a snare for your soul.
26 (U)Do not be one of those who [e]shakes hands in a pledge,
One of those who is [f]surety for debts;
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
Why should he take away your bed from under you?
29 Do you see a man who [h]excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before [i]unknown men.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:6 Even
- Proverbs 22:8 trouble
- Proverbs 22:9 Lit. good
- Proverbs 22:21 Or send you
- Proverbs 22:26 Lit. strikes
- Proverbs 22:26 guaranty
- Proverbs 22:28 boundary
- Proverbs 22:29 is prompt in his business
- Proverbs 22:29 obscure
Proverbs 22
English Standard Version
22 (A)A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 (B)The rich and the poor meet together;
the Lord is (C)the Maker of them all.
3 (D)The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is (E)riches and honor and life.[a]
5 (F)Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
whoever (G)guards his soul will keep far from them.
6 (H)Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 (I)The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever (J)sows injustice will reap calamity,
and (K)the rod of his fury will fail.
9 (L)Whoever has a bountiful[b] eye will be blessed,
for he (M)shares his bread with the poor.
10 (N)Drive out a scoffer, (O)and strife will go out,
and (P)quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who (Q)loves purity of heart,
and whose (R)speech is gracious, (S)will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he (T)overthrows the words of the traitor.
13 (U)The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of (V)forbidden[c] women is (W)a deep pit;
(X)he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but (Y)the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
or gives to the rich, (Z)will only come to poverty.
Words of the Wise
17 (AA)Incline your ear, and hear (AB)the words of the wise,
(AC)and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20 Have I not written for you (AD)thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21 to (AE)make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22 (AF)Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or (AG)crush the afflicted at (AH)the gate,
23 for (AI)the Lord will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not one of those who (AJ)give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should (AK)your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient (AL)landmark
that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will (AM)stand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:4 Or The reward for humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and honor and life
- Proverbs 22:9 Hebrew good
- Proverbs 22:14 Hebrew strange
Proverbs 22
Expanded Bible
22 ·Being respected [L A good name/reputation] is more important than having great riches.
·To be well thought of [High esteem] is better than silver or gold [Eccl. 7:1].
2 The rich and the poor ·are alike [have a common bond]
in that the Lord made them all.
3 The ·wise [prudent] see ·danger [evil; trouble] ahead and avoid it,
but fools ·keep going [go straight to it] and ·get into trouble [or are punished].
4 ·Respecting [Fearing] the Lord [1:7] and ·not being proud [humility]
will bring you wealth, honor, and life.
5 Evil people’s lives are like paths covered with thorns and ·traps [nets].
People who guard themselves ·don’t have such problems [L stay far from them].
6 Train children ·to live the right way [L in their/or his path; C referring either to children or to God],
and when they are old, they will not ·stray [depart] from it.
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and borrowers are ·servants [slaves] to lenders.
8 Those who ·plan [L sow] ·evil [injustice] will ·receive [L reap; harvest] ·trouble [evil; Matt. 26:52].
·Their cruel anger [L The rod of their fury] will come to an end.
9 Generous people ·will be blessed [or he will bless],
because they share their food with the poor.
10 ·Get rid of [Banish; Drive out] the ·one who makes fun of wisdom [mocker].
Then ·fighting [conflict], ·quarrels [judgments], and ·insults [shame] will stop.
11 Whoever loves pure ·thoughts [L hearts] and kind ·words [L lips]
will have even the king as a friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge,
but he ·destroys [frustrates] ·false words [L the words of the untrustworthy/faithless].
13 The lazy person says, “There’s a lion outside!
I might get killed out in the ·street [middle of the public square]!”
14 The ·words [L mouth] of ·an unfaithful wife [L the strange woman] are like a deep ·trap [pit].
Those who make the Lord angry will ·get caught by them [L fall in it].
15 ·Every child is full of foolishness [L Stupidity/Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child],
but ·punishment can get rid of it [L the rod of discipline drives it far from them].
16 Whoever gets rich by ·mistreating [oppressing] the poor,
and gives presents to the wealthy, will become poor.
Other Wise Sayings
17 ·Listen carefully to [L Incline/Bend your ear and hear] ·what wise people say [L the words of the wise];
·pay attention to [set your heart on] what I am teaching you.
18 It will be ·good [pleasant] to ·keep these things in mind [L guard them in your innermost being]
so that you ·are ready to repeat them [L have them ready on your lips].
19 I am teaching them to you now
so that you will put your trust in the Lord.
20 I have written ·thirty [or excellent] sayings for you,
which give knowledge and good advice.
21 I am teaching you true and reliable words
so that you can give true answers to anyone who ·asks [L sends you].
22 Do not ·abuse [L steal from] poor people because they are poor,
and do not ·take away the rights of [oppress] the needy in ·court [L the gate].
23 The Lord will ·defend them in court [accuse their accusers]
and will ·take the life of those who take away their rights [L press/squeeze the life out of those who press/squeeze them; Ex. 22:21–23; 23:6; Deut. 24:14–15].
24 Don’t make friends with ·quick-tempered people [people controlled by anger]
or ·spend time [associate] with those who have bad tempers.
25 If you do, you will ·be like them [learn their ways].
Then you will ·be in real danger [L get yourself trapped].
26 Don’t ·promise [L shake hands] to pay what someone else owes,
and don’t guarantee anyone’s loan.
27 If you cannot pay the loan,
·your own bed may [L why should your own bed…?] be taken right out from under you.
28 Don’t move an ·old stone that marks a border [an ancient boundary marker; Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Job 24:2; Hos. 5:10; C borders were marked by carved stones],
because those stones were set up by your ancestors.
29 Do you see people ·skilled [or diligent] in their work?
They will work for kings, not for ·ordinary [obscure] people.
Proverbs 22
Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh Is the Maker of All
22 A (A)good name is to be chosen over great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor meet together in this—
Yahweh is the (B)Maker of them all.
3 A (C)prudent man sees evil and hides,
But the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 The reward of humility—the [a]fear of Yahweh—
Is riches, glory, and life.
5 (D)Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
He who keeps his soul will be far from them.
6 [b](E)Train up a child [c]according to his way,
Even when he is old he will not [d]depart from it.
7 The (F)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 He who (G)sows unrighteousness will reap iniquity,
And the (H)rod of his fury will end.
9 He who [e]is (I)generous will be blessed,
For he (J)gives from his food to the poor.
10 (K)Drive out the scoffer, and strife will go out,
Even contention and disgrace will cease.
11 He who loves (L)purity of heart
And (M)grace on his lips, the king is his friend.
12 The eyes of Yahweh guard knowledge,
But He subverts the words of the treacherous one.
13 The (N)sluggard says, “There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of (O)strange women is a deep pit;
He who is (P)cursed of Yahweh will fall [f]into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child;
The (Q)rod of discipline will remove it far from him.
16 He (R)who oppresses the poor to make [g]more for himself
Or who gives to the rich (S)will only come to lack.
17 (T)Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And set your heart on my knowledge;
18 For it will be (U)pleasant if you keep them within you,
[h]That they may be established on your lips.
19 So that your (V)trust may be in Yahweh,
I have made you know today, even you.
20 Have I not written to you [i](W)excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make you (X)know the veracity of the words of truth
That you may [j](Y)respond with the words of truth to him who sent you?
22 (Z)Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
And do not (AA)crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 For Yahweh will (AB)plead their case
And rob the soul of those who rob them.
24 Do not befriend a man of anger;
And do not come along with a man of (AC)great wrath,
25 Lest you (AD)learn his ways
And take on a snare against your soul.
26 Do not be among those who (AE)strike [k]hands in pledge,
Among those who become guarantors for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
Why should he (AF)take your bed from under you?
28 (AG)Do not move the ancient boundary
Which your fathers made.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will (AH)stand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure men.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:4 Or reverence
- Proverbs 22:6 Lit Dedicate
- Proverbs 22:6 Or in the way he should go, according to his own way
- Proverbs 22:6 Lit turn away
- Proverbs 22:9 Lit has a good eye
- Proverbs 22:14 Lit there
- Proverbs 22:16 Lit much
- Proverbs 22:18 Lit They together
- Proverbs 22:20 Lit thirty sayings
- Proverbs 22:21 Lit return
- Proverbs 22:26 Lit palms
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
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