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22 A reputation[a] is to be chosen rather than[b] great riches;
    favor is better than silver and gold.[c]
Rich and poor have much in common;
    Yahweh is the maker of all of them.
The clever sees danger and hides,
    but the simple go on and suffer.
The reward of humility is the fear of Yahweh—
    wealth and honor and life.
Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
    he who guards himself[d] will keep away from them.
Train the child concerning his way;[e]
    even when he is old, he will not stray from it.
The rich will rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is a slave of the lender.[f]
He who sows injustice will reap calamity,
    and the rod of his anger will fail.
He who is generous[g] will be blessed,
    for he gives to the poor from his own bread.
10 Drive out a scoffer and strife will go out;
    quarrel and abuse will cease.
11 He who loves purity of heart
    and hasgracious speech,[h] his friend is the king.
12 The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge,
    but he will overthrow the words of the faithless.
13 A lazy person says “A lion in the street!
    In the middle of the highway, I shall be killed!”
14 A deep pit is the mouth of an adulteress,[i]
    he with whom Yahweh is angry will fall there.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart[j] of a boy;[k]
    the rod of discipline will drive it[l] from him.
16 He who oppresses the poor in order to enrich himself,
    or gives to the rich, will come to poverty.[m]

Words of the Wise

17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise;
    you shall apply your heart[n] to my teaching.
18 For it is pleasant if you guard them within you;[o]
    together they will be ready upon your lips.
19 In order for your trust to be in Yahweh,
    I have made them known to you today[p]—even[q] you.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings
    with admonitions and knowledge?
21 In order to show you what is right—sayings of truth—
    in order to return a true saying to him who sent you.
22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
    and do not crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 For Yahweh will plead their case
    and despoil those who despoil them of life.[r]
24 Do not befriend an owner[s] of anger,[t]
    and with a man of wrath you shall not associate;
25 lest you learn his way
    and become entangled in a snare to yourself.[u]
26 Do not be with those who give a pledge[v]
    by becoming[w] surety.
27 If there is nothing for you to pay,[x]
    why will he take your bed from under you?
28 Do not remove an ancient boundary marker
    which your ancestors[y] made.
29 A man who is skillful in his work, you shall see:
    before kings, he will serve;
    he will not serve before the commoners.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:1 Literally “name”
  2. Proverbs 22:1 Literally “from”
  3. Proverbs 22:1 Literally “from silver and from gold, favor is better”
  4. Proverbs 22:5 Or “soul,” or “life”
  5. Proverbs 22:6 Literally “on the mouth of his way”
  6. Proverbs 22:7 Literally “the borrower belonging to a man”
  7. Proverbs 22:9 Literally “the generous of eye”
  8. Proverbs 22:11 Literally “grace of his lips”
  9. Proverbs 22:14 Literally “a strange woman”
  10. Proverbs 22:15 Or “mind”
  11. Proverbs 22:15 Or “young man,” or “adolescent”
  12. Proverbs 22:15 That is, folly
  13. Proverbs 22:16 Literally “only loss”
  14. Proverbs 22:17 Or “mind”
  15. Proverbs 22:18 Literally “in your belly/womb”
  16. Proverbs 22:19 Literally “the day”
  17. Proverbs 22:19 Or “only”
  18. Proverbs 22:23 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  19. Proverbs 22:24 Or “master”
  20. Proverbs 22:24 Literally “nostril”
  21. Proverbs 22:25 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  22. Proverbs 22:26 Literally “strike a hand”
  23. Proverbs 22:26 Literally “in the becomings of”
  24. Proverbs 22:27 Or “complete”
  25. Proverbs 22:28 Or “fathers”

22 A good name is more desirable than great riches,
    and loving favor is better than silver and gold.
The rich and the poor have this in common:
    Yahweh is the maker of them all.
A prudent man sees danger and hides himself;
    but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
The result of humility and the fear of Yahweh
    is wealth, honor, and life.
Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked:
    whoever guards his soul stays from them.
Train up a child in the way he should go,
    and when he is old he will not depart from it.
The rich rule over the poor.
    The borrower is servant to the lender.
He who sows wickedness reaps trouble,
    and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
He who has a generous eye will be blessed;
    for he shares his food with the poor.
10 Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out;
    yes, quarrels and insults will stop.
11 He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully
    is the king’s friend.
12 Yahweh’s eyes watch over knowledge;
    but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
    I will be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit.
    He who is under Yahweh’s wrath will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child:
    the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich,
    both come to poverty.

17 Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise.
    Apply your heart 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.
19 I teach you today, even you,
    So that your trust may be in Yahweh.
20 Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things
    of counsel and knowledge,
21 To teach you truth, reliable words,
    to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

22 Don’t exploit the poor, because he is poor;
    and don’t crush the needy in court;
23 for Yahweh will plead their case,
    and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

24 Don’t befriend a hot-tempered man,
    and don’t associate with one who harbors anger:
25 lest you learn his ways,
    and ensnare your soul.

26 Don’t you be one of those who strike hands,
    of those who are collateral for debts.
27 If you don’t have means to pay,
    why should he take away your bed from under you?

28 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone
    which your fathers have set up.

29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
    He will serve kings.
    He won’t serve obscure men.