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Mishle 22
Orthodox Jewish Bible
Mishle 22
Orthodox Jewish Bible
22 A shem tov is rather to be desired than osher rav, and chen (grace) rather than kesef and zahav.
2 The oisher (rich man) and the rahsh (pauper) have this in common: Hashem is the Oseh (Maker) of them all.
3 A prudent man foreseeth the ra’ah, and hideth himself, but the naïve trudge on, and are punished.
4 By anavah (humility) and the Yirat Hashem are osher, and kavod, and chayyim.
5 Thorns and pachim (snares) are in the derech of the crooked; he that is shomer over his nefesh shall be far from them.
6 Train up a na’ar in the derech (road) he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
7 The oisher ruleth over the rahshim (paupers), and the loveh (borrower, debtor) is eved (slave) to the ish malveh (lender).
8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap aven (iniquity), and the shevet (rod) of his wrath shall disappear.
9 He that hath a tov ayin (generous eye) shall have a bracha; for he giveth of his lechem to the dal (poor).
10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall leave; indeed, strife and kalon (shame) shall cease.
11 He that loveth tahor lev (a pure heart), for the chen (grace) on his sfatayim (lips) the Melech shall be his re’a (friend).
12 The eynayim of Hashem preserve da’as, and He overthroweth the devarim of the boged (unfaithful, treacherous, traitor).
13 The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) saith, There is an ari (lion) outside; I shall be murdered in the streets.
14 The peh (mouth) of zarot (strange women) is a deep pit; he that is under the wrath of Hashem shall fall therein.
15 Folly is bound in the lev na’ar, but the shevet musar (rod of correction) shall drive it far from him.
16 He that oppresseth the dal (poor) in order to increase, and he that giveth to the oisher, shall surely come to machsor (poverty, want).
17 Bow down thine ozen, and hear the devarim of chachamim, and apply thine lev (mind, heart) unto my da’as.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou be shomer over them within thee; they shall therewith abide ready upon thy sfatayim (lips).
19 That thy trust may be in Hashem, I have made thee know this yom, even thee!
20 Have not I written to thee shloshim (thirty sayings) in mo’etzot (counsels) and da’as,
21 That I might make thee know the certain truth of the words of emes; that thou mightest bring back words of emes to them that send thee?
22 Exploit not the dal (poor), because he is dal (poor); neither oppress the oni (afflicted) in the sha’ar,
23 For Hashem will plead their cause, and plunder the nefesh of those that plundered them.
24 Make no friendship with a ba’al af (angry man), and with an ish chemot (man of wrath) thou shalt not go,
25 Lest thou learn his orkhot (ways), and take a mokesh (snare) for thy nefesh.
26 Be not thou one of them that shake hands in a pledge, or of them that are collateral for masha’ot (debts, loans).
27 If thou hast nothing with which to pay, why should he take away thy mishkav (bed) from under thee?
28 Remove not the gevul olam (ancient landmark), which avoteicha have set.
29 Seest thou an ish mahir (diligent, one who excells) in his work? He shall stand before melachim; he shall not stand before obscure men.
Proverbs 22
New International Version
Proverbs 22
New International Version
22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.(A)
2 Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the Maker of them all.(B)
5 In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,(G)
but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.
6 Start(H) children off on the way they should go,(I)
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(J)
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended.(O)
11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
will have the king for a friend.(P)
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
13 The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!(Q)
I’ll be killed in the public square!”
14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;(R)
a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.(S)
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.(T)
16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.
Thirty Sayings of the Wise
Saying 1
17 Pay attention(U) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(V)
apply your heart to what I teach,(W)
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,(X)
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
Saying 2
22 Do not exploit the poor(Y) because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,(Z)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(AA)
and will exact life for life.(AB)
Saying 3
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared.(AC)
Saying 4
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(AD)
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.(AE)
Saying 5
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(AF)
set up by your ancestors.
Saying 6
Proverbs 22
English Standard Version
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
Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.