On Life and Conduct

22 A (A)good name is to be more desired than great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.
The rich and the poor [a]have a common bond,
The Lord is the (B)maker of them all.
The (C)prudent sees the evil and hides himself,
But the [b]naive go on, and are punished for it.
The reward of humility and the [c]fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor and life.
(D)Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards himself will be far from them.
(E)Train up a child [d]in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
The (F)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.
He who (G)sows iniquity will reap vanity,
And the (H)rod of his fury will perish.
He who [e]is (I)generous will be blessed,
For he (J)gives some of his food to the poor.
10 (K)Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out,
Even strife and dishonor will cease.
11 He who loves (L)purity of heart
And [f]whose speech is (M)gracious, the king is his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.
13 The (N)sluggard says, “There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of [g](O)an adulteress is a deep pit;
He who is (P)cursed of the Lord will fall [h]into it.
15 Foolishness 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 [i]more for himself
Or who gives to the rich, (S)will only come to poverty.

17 (T)Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your mind to my knowledge;
18 For it will be (U)pleasant if you keep them within you,
[j]That they may be ready on your lips.
19 So that your (V)trust may be in the Lord,
I have [k]taught you today, even you.
20 Have I not written to you [l](W)excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make you (X)know the [m]certainty of the words of truth
That you may [n](Y)correctly answer him who sent you?

22 (Z)Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Or (AA)crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 For the Lord will (AB)plead their case
And [o]take the life of those who rob them.

24 Do not associate with a man given to anger;
Or go with a (AC)hot-tempered man,
25 Or you will (AD)learn his ways
And [p]find a snare for yourself.

26 Do not be among those who (AE)give [q]pledges,
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 have set.

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 22:2 Lit meet together
  2. Proverbs 22:3 Lit simple
  3. Proverbs 22:4 Or reverence
  4. Proverbs 22:6 Lit according to his way
  5. Proverbs 22:9 Lit has a good eye
  6. Proverbs 22:11 Lit has grace on his lips
  7. Proverbs 22:14 Lit strange woman
  8. Proverbs 22:14 Lit there
  9. Proverbs 22:16 Lit much
  10. Proverbs 22:18 Lit They together
  11. Proverbs 22:19 Lit made you know
  12. Proverbs 22:20 Or previous
  13. Proverbs 22:21 Lit truth
  14. Proverbs 22:21 Lit return to words of truth
  15. Proverbs 22:23 Lit rob the soul
  16. Proverbs 22:25 Lit take
  17. Proverbs 22:26 Lit strike hands

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

On Life and Conduct

22 A (A)good name is to be more desired than great wealth;
Favor is better than silver and gold.
The rich and the poor [a]have a common bond,
The Lord is the (B)Maker of them all.
A (C)prudent person sees evil and hides himself,
But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.
The reward of humility and [b]the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor, and life.
(D)Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
One who guards himself will be far from them.
(E)Train up a child [c]in the way he should go,
Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.
The (F)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.
One who (G)sows injustice will reap disaster,
And the (H)rod of his fury will perish.
One who [d]is (I)generous will be blessed,
Because he (J)gives some of his food to the poor.
10 (K)Drive out the scoffer, and strife will leave,
Even quarreling and dishonor will cease.
11 One who loves (L)purity of heart
And [e]whose speech is (M)gracious, the king is his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord protect knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the treacherous person.
13 The [f](N)lazy one says, “There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of [g](O)an adulteress is a deep pit;
He who is (P)cursed of the Lord will fall [h]into it.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The (Q)rod of discipline will remove it far from him.
16 One (R)who oppresses the poor to make [i]more for himself,
Or gives to the rich, (S)will only come to poverty.

17 (T)Extend your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your mind to my knowledge;
18 For it will be (U)pleasant if you keep them within you,
[j]So that they may be ready on your lips.
19 So that your (V)trust may be in the Lord,
I have [k]taught you today, you indeed.
20 Have I not written to you [l](W)excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make you (X)know the [m]certainty of the words of truth,
So that you may [n](Y)correctly answer him who sent you?

22 (Z)Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Nor (AA)crush the needy at the gate;
23 For the Lord will (AB)plead their case
And [o]take the life of those who rob them.

24 Do not make friends with a person given to anger,
Or go with a (AC)hot-tempered person,
25 Or you will (AD)learn his ways
And [p]find a snare for yourself.

26 Do not be among those who (AE)shake hands,
Among those who become guarantors for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to repay,
Why should he (AF)take your bed from under you?

28 (AG)Do not move the ancient boundary
Which your fathers have set.

29 Do you see a person skilled in his work?
He will (AH)stand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure people.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:2 Lit meet together
  2. Proverbs 22:4 Or reverence for
  3. Proverbs 22:6 Lit according to his way
  4. Proverbs 22:9 Lit has a good eye
  5. Proverbs 22:11 Lit has grace on his lips
  6. Proverbs 22:13 Lit idle
  7. Proverbs 22:14 Lit strange woman
  8. Proverbs 22:14 Lit there
  9. Proverbs 22:16 Lit much
  10. Proverbs 22:18 Lit They together
  11. Proverbs 22:19 Lit made you know
  12. Proverbs 22:20 Or previous
  13. Proverbs 22:21 Lit truth
  14. Proverbs 22:21 Lit return words of truth
  15. Proverbs 22:23 Lit rob the soul
  16. Proverbs 22:25 Lit take