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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.
The rich and the poor meet together in this
Yahweh is the (B)Maker of them all.
A (C)prudent man sees evil and hides,
But the simple pass on, and are punished.
The reward of humility—the [a]fear of Yahweh—
Is riches, glory, and life.
(D)Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
He who keeps his soul will be far from them.
[b](E)Train up a child [c]according to his way,
Even when he is old he will not [d]depart from it.
The (F)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is the slave of the lender.
He who (G)sows unrighteousness will reap iniquity,
And the (H)rod of his fury will end.
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

  1. Proverbs 22:4 Or reverence
  2. Proverbs 22:6 Lit Dedicate
  3. Proverbs 22:6 Or in the way he should go, according to his own way
  4. Proverbs 22:6 Lit turn away
  5. Proverbs 22:9 Lit has a good eye
  6. Proverbs 22:14 Lit there
  7. Proverbs 22:16 Lit much
  8. Proverbs 22:18 Lit They together
  9. Proverbs 22:20 Lit thirty sayings
  10. Proverbs 22:21 Lit return
  11. Proverbs 22:26 Lit palms

22 (A)A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
    and favor is better than silver or gold.
(B)The rich and the poor meet together;
    the Lord is (C)the Maker of them all.
(D)The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
    but the simple go on and suffer for it.
The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
    is (E)riches and honor and life.[a]
(F)Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
    whoever (G)guards his soul will keep far from them.
(H)Train up a child in the way he should go;
    even when he is old he will not depart from it.
(I)The rich rules over the poor,
    and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
Whoever (J)sows injustice will reap calamity,
    and (K)the rod of his fury will fail.
(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

  1. Proverbs 22:4 Or The reward for humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and honor and life
  2. Proverbs 22:9 Hebrew good
  3. Proverbs 22:14 Hebrew strange