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22 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
    and favor is better than silver or gold.
The rich and the poor have this in common:
    the Lord is the maker of them all.
The clever see danger and hide;
    but the simple go on, and suffer for it.
The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
    is riches and honor and life.
Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
    the cautious will keep far from them.
Train children in the right way,
    and when old, they will not stray.
The rich rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
    and the rod of anger will fail.
Those who are generous are blessed,
    for they share their bread with the poor.
10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife goes out;
    quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 Those who love a pure heart and are gracious in speech
    will have the king as a friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he overthrows the words of the faithless.
13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion outside!
    I shall be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of a loose[a] woman is a deep pit;
    he with whom the Lord is angry falls into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a boy,
    but the rod of discipline drives it far away.
16 Oppressing the poor in order to enrich oneself,
    and giving to the rich, will lead only to loss.

Sayings of the Wise

17     The words of the wise:

Incline your ear and hear my words,[b]
    and apply your mind to my teaching;
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
    if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
    I have made them known to you today—yes, to you.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings
    of admonition and knowledge,
21 to show you what is right and true,
    so that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

22 Do not rob the poor because they are poor,
    or crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 for the Lord pleads their cause
    and despoils of life those who despoil them.
24 Make no friends with those given to anger,
    and do not associate with hotheads,
25 or you may learn their ways
    and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Do not be one of those who give pledges,
    who become surety for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
    why should your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not remove the ancient landmark
    that your ancestors set up.
29 Do you see those who are skillful in their work?
    They will serve kings;
    they will not serve common people.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:14 Heb strange
  2. Proverbs 22:17 Cn Compare Gk: Heb Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise

The Value of a Good Reputation

22 A good reputation and respect
are worth much more
    than silver and gold.
The rich and the poor
are all created
    by the Lord.
When you see trouble coming,
    don't be stupid
and walk right into it—
    be smart and hide.

Respect and serve the Lord!
Your reward will be wealth,
    a long life, and honor.
Crooks walk down a road
full of thorny traps.
    Stay away from there!
(A) Teach your children
    right from wrong,
and when they are grown
    they will still do right.
The poor are ruled by the rich,
and those who borrow
    are slaves of moneylenders.
Troublemakers get in trouble,
and their terrible anger
    will get them nowhere.

The Lord blesses everyone
who freely gives food
    to the poor.
10 Arguments and fights
    will come to an end,
if you chase away those
    who insult others.
11 The king is the friend of all
who are sincere
    and speak with kindness.

12 The Lord watches over everyone
    who shows good sense,
but he frustrates the plans
    of deceitful liars.
13 Don't be so lazy that you say,
“If I go to work,
    a lion will eat me!”
14 The words of a bad woman
    are like a deep pit;
if you make the Lord angry,
    you will fall right in.
15 All children are foolish,
but firm correction
    will make them change.
16 Cheat the poor to make profit
or give gifts to the rich—
    either way you lose.

Thirty Wise Sayings

17 Here are some sayings
    of people with wisdom,
so listen carefully
    as I teach.
18 You will be glad
that you know these sayings
    and can recite them.
19 I am teaching them today,
so that you
    may trust the Lord.
20 I have written thirty sayings
    filled with sound advice.
21 You can trust them completely
to give you the right words
    for those in charge of you.

–1–

22 Don't take advantage
of the poor
    or cheat them in court.
23 The Lord is their defender,
and what you do to them,
    he will do to you.

–2–

24 Don't make friends with anyone
    who has a bad temper.
25 You might turn out like them
    and get caught in a trap.

–3–

26 Don't guarantee to pay
    someone else's debt.
27 If you don't have the money,
    you might lose your bed.

–4–

28 Don't move a boundary marker[a]
    set up by your ancestors.

–5–

29 If you do your job well,
you will work for a ruler
    and never be a slave.

Footnotes

  1. 22.28 marker: In ancient Israel boundary lines were sacred because all property was a gift from the Lord (see Deuteronomy 19.14).

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

22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
    to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.(A)

Rich and poor have this in common:
    The Lord is the Maker of them all.(B)

The prudent see danger and take refuge,(C)
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.(D)

Humility is the fear of the Lord;
    its wages are riches and honor(E) and life.(F)

In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,(G)
    but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

Start(H) children off on the way they should go,(I)
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(J)

The rich rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is slave to the lender.

Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,(K)
    and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.(L)

The generous will themselves be blessed,(M)
    for they share their food with the poor.(N)

10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
    quarrels and insults are ended.(O)

11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
    will have the king for a friend.(P)

12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

13 The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!(Q)
    I’ll be killed in the public square!”

14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;(R)
    a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.(S)

15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.(T)

16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
    and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

Thirty Sayings of the Wise

Saying 1

17 Pay attention(U) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(V)
    apply your heart to what I teach,(W)
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
    and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
    I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
    sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,(X)
    so that you bring back truthful reports
    to those you serve?

Saying 2

22 Do not exploit the poor(Y) because they are poor
    and do not crush the needy in court,(Z)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(AA)
    and will exact life for life.(AB)

Saying 3

24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
    do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
    and get yourself ensnared.(AC)

Saying 4

26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(AD)
    or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
    your very bed will be snatched from under you.(AE)

Saying 5

28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(AF)
    set up by your ancestors.

Saying 6

29 Do you see someone skilled(AG) in their work?
    They will serve(AH) before kings;(AI)
    they will not serve before officials of low rank.