Proverbs 22
Christian Standard Bible
22 A good name is to be chosen over great wealth;
favor is better than silver and gold.(A)
3 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover,
but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.(C)
4 Humility, the fear of the Lord,
results in wealth, honor, and life.(D)
5 There are thorns and snares on the way of the crooked;(E)
the one who guards himself stays far from them.
6 Start a youth out on his way;(F)
even when he grows old he will not depart from it.
8 The one who sows injustice will reap disaster,(I)
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
11 The one who loves a pure heart
and gracious lips—the king is his friend.(N)
12 The Lord’s eyes keep watch over knowledge,
but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.
13 The slacker says, “There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square!” (O)
14 The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit;
a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it.(P)
15 Foolishness is bound to the heart of a youth;
a rod of discipline will separate it from him.(Q)
16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself,
and giving to the rich—both lead only to poverty.(R)
Words of the Wise
17 Listen closely,[c] pay attention to the words of the wise,(S)
and apply your mind to my knowledge.
18 For it is pleasing if you keep them within you
and if they are[d] constantly on your lips.
19 I have instructed you today—even you—
so that your confidence may be in the Lord.
20 Haven’t I written for you thirty sayings[e]
about counsel and knowledge,
21 in order to teach you true and reliable words,
so that you may give a dependable report[f](T)
to those who sent you?(U)
22 Don’t rob a poor person because he is poor,
and don’t crush the oppressed(V) at the city gate,(W)
23 for the Lord will champion their cause(X)
and will plunder those who plunder them.
24 Don’t make friends with an angry person,[g]
and don’t be a companion of a hot-tempered one,(Y)
25 or you will learn his ways(Z)
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Don’t be one of those who enter agreements,[h]
who put up security for loans.(AA)
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
even your bed will be taken from under you.(AB)
28 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker
that your ancestors set up.(AC)
29 Do you see a person skilled in his work?
He will stand in the presence of kings.
He will not stand in the presence of the unknown.(AD)
Footnotes
- 22:2 Lit poor meet
- 22:9 Lit Good of eye
- 22:17 Lit Stretch out your ear
- 22:18 Or you; let them be, or you, so that they are
- 22:20 Text emended; one Hb tradition reads you previously; alt Hb tradition reads you excellent things; LXX, Syr, Vg read you three times
- 22:21 Lit give dependable words
- 22:24 Lit with a master of anger
- 22:26 Lit Don’t be among hand slappers
Proverbs 22
Common English Bible
22 A good reputation is better than much wealth;
high esteem is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
the Lord made them both.
3 Prudent people see trouble and hide,
while the simpleminded go right to it and get punished.
4 The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord
is wealth, honor, and life.
5 Thorns and nets are in the path of the crooked;
those who guard their lives keep their distance.
6 Train children in the way they should go;
when they grow old, they won’t depart from it.
7 The wealthy rule over the poor;
a borrower is a slave to a lender.
8 Those who sow injustice will harvest evil;
the rod of their fury will come to an end.
9 Happy are generous people,
because they give some of their food to the poor.
10 Remove the mocker and conflict disappears;
judgment and shame also stop.
11 Those who love a pure heart—
their speech is gracious, and the king is their friend.
12 The Lord’s eyes protect knowledge,
but he frustrates the words of the treacherous.
13 A lazy person says, “There’s a lion in the street!
I’ll be killed in the town square!”
14 The mouth of a mysterious woman is a deep pit;
those under the Lord’s wrath will fall in it.
15 Folly is bound up in a child’s heart;
the rod of discipline removes it.
16 Oppressing the poor to get rich
and giving to the wealthy lead only to poverty.
Thirty sayings of the wise
17 Turn your ear and hear the words of the wise;
focus your mind on my knowledge.
18 It will be pleasant if you keep the words in you,
if you have them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust will be in the Lord,
I’m teaching you today—yes, you.
20 Haven’t I written for you thirty[a] sayings
full of advice and knowledge?
21 Their purpose is to teach you true, reliable words,
so you can report back reliably to those who sent you.
22 Don’t steal from the poor, because they are poor.
Don’t oppress the needy in the gate.
23 The Lord will take up their case
and press the life out of those who oppress them.[b]
24 Don’t befriend people controlled by anger;
don’t associate with hot-tempered people;
25 otherwise, you will learn their ways
and become trapped.
26 Don’t shake hands to guarantee a loan.
27 If you can’t repay,
why should they be able to take your bed from you?
28 Don’t remove an ancient boundary marker
that your ancestors established.
29 Do you see people who work skillfully?
They will work for kings
but not work for lowly people.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:20 Heb uncertain
- Proverbs 22:23 Heb uncertain
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