22 ·Being respected [^LA 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 [^Lstay far from them].

⁶ Train children ·to live the right way [^Lin their/or his path; ^Creferring 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 [^Lsow] ·evil [injustice] will ·receive [^Lreap; harvest] ·trouble [evil; Matt. 26:52].
·Their cruel anger [^LThe 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 [^Lhearts] and kind ·words [^Llips]
will have even the king as a friend.

¹² The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge,
but he ·destroys [frustrates] ·false words [^Lthe 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 [^Lmouth] of ·an unfaithful wife [^Lthe strange woman] are like a deep ·trap [pit].
Those who make the Lord angry will ·get caught by them [^Lfall in it].

¹⁵ ·Every child is full of foolishness [^LStupidity/Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child],
but ·punishment can get rid of it [^Lthe 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.

²² Do not ·abuse [^Lsteal from] poor people because they are poor,
    and do not ·take away the rights of [oppress] the needy in ·court [^Lthe gate].
²³ The Lord will ·defend them in court [accuse their accusers]
    and will ·take the life of those who take away their rights [^Lpress/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 [^Lget yourself trapped].

²⁶ Don’t ·promise [^Lshake 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 [^Lwhy 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; ^Cborders 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.