Add parallel Print Page Options

22 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
    and loving favor rather than silver and gold.

The rich and poor have this in common,
    the Lord is the maker of them all.

A prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself,
    but the simple pass on and are punished.

By humility and the fear of the Lord
    are riches, and honor, and life.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
    he who guards his soul will be far 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 rules over the poor,
    and the borrower is servant to the lender.

He who sows iniquity will reap vanity,
    and the rod of his anger will fail.

He who has a bountiful eye will be blessed,
    for he gives of his bread to the poor.

10 Cast out the scorner, and contention will go out;
    yes, strife and reproach will cease.

11 He who loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips
    the king will be his friend.

12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,
    and He overthrows the words of the transgressor.

13 The slothful man says, “There is a lion without!
    I will be slain in the streets!”

14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit;
    he who is detested by the Lord will fall therein.

15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child,
    but the rod of correction will drive it far from him.

16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches,
    and he who gives to the rich, will surely come to want.

Thirty Sayings of the Wise

Saying One

17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
    and apply your heart to my knowledge;
18 for it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;
    they will readily be fitted in your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
    I have made known to you this day, even to you.
20 Have I not written to you excellent things
    in counsels and knowledge,
21 that I might make you know the certainty of the words of truth,
    that you might answer the words of truth
    to those who send to you?

Saying Two

22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
    neither oppress the afflicted in the gate;
23 for the Lord will plead their cause,
    and spoil the soul of those who spoiled them.

Saying Three

24 Make no friendship with an angry man,
    and with a furious man you will not go,
25 lest you learn his ways
    and get a snare to your soul.

Saying Four

26 Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge,
    or of those who use securities for debts;
27 if you have nothing to pay,
    why should he take away your bed from under you?

Saying Five

28 Do not remove the ancient landmark
    which your fathers have set.

Saying Six

29 Do you see a man diligent in his business?
    He will stand before kings;
    he will not stand before obscure men.

22 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
And [a]loving favor rather than silver and gold.
The rich and the poor meet together:
Jehovah is the maker of them all.
A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself;
But the simple pass on, and [b]suffer for it.
The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah
Is riches, and honor, and life.
Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse:
He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.
Train up a child [c]in the way he should go,
And even when he is old he will not depart from it.
The rich ruleth over the poor;
And the borrower is servant to the lender.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap [d]calamity;
And the rod of his wrath shall fail.
He that hath a [e]bountiful eye shall be blessed;
For he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out;
Yea, strife and ignominy will cease.
11 He that loveth [f]pureness of heart,
[g]For the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.
12 The eyes of Jehovah preserve him that hath knowledge;
But he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion without;
I shall be slain in the streets.
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit;
He [h]that is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall therein.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his gain,
And he that giveth to the rich, shall come only to want.

17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise,
And apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee,
If they be established together upon thy lips.
19 That thy trust may be in Jehovah,
I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have not I written unto thee [i]excellent things
[j]Of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make thee know [k]the certainty of the words of truth,
That thou mayest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?
22 Rob not the poor, [l]because he is poor;
Neither [m]oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 For Jehovah will plead their cause,
And despoil of life those that despoil them.
24 Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger;
And with a wrathful man thou shalt not go:
25 Lest thou learn his ways,
And get a snare to thy soul.
26 Be thou not one of them that strike hands,
Or of them that are sureties for debts.
27 If thou hast not wherewith to pay,
Why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark,
Which thy fathers have set.
29 Seest thou a man [n]diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings;
He shall not stand before [o]mean men.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:1 Or, favor is better than etc.
  2. Proverbs 22:3 Hebrew are mulcted.
  3. Proverbs 22:6 Hebrew according to his way.
  4. Proverbs 22:8 Or, vanity
  5. Proverbs 22:9 Hebrew good.
  6. Proverbs 22:11 Another reading is, the pure of heart.
  7. Proverbs 22:11 Or, Hath grace in his lips. Or, That hath grace in his lips
  8. Proverbs 22:14 Or, against whom Jehovah hath indignation
  9. Proverbs 22:20 The word is doubtful. Another reading is, heretofore
  10. Proverbs 22:20 Or, In
  11. Proverbs 22:21 Or, of a certainty the words etc.
  12. Proverbs 22:22 Or, for
  13. Proverbs 22:22 Or, crush
  14. Proverbs 22:29 Or, skilful
  15. Proverbs 22:29 Hebrew obscure.