Proverbs 22
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
22 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.(A)
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
the Lord is the maker of them all.
3 The clever see danger and hide,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
the cautious will keep far from them.(B)
6 Train children in the right way,
and when old, they will not stray.(C)
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.(D)
8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of anger will fail.(E)
9 Those who are generous are blessed,
for they share their bread with the poor.(F)
10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife goes out;
quarreling and abuse will cease.(G)
11 Those who love a pure heart and are gracious in speech
will have the king as a friend.(H)
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he overthrows the words of the faithless.(I)
13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”(J)
14 The mouth of a loose woman[a] is a deep pit;
he with whom the Lord is angry falls into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline drives it far away.(K)
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.(L)
20 Have I not written for you thirty[c] sayings
of admonition and knowledge,(M)
21 to show you what is right and true,
so that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?(N)
22 Do not rob the poor because they are poor
or crush the afflicted at the gate,(O)
23 for the Lord pleads their cause
and despoils of life those who despoil them.(P)
24 Make no friends with those given to anger,
and do not associate with hotheads,
25 lest you learn their ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Do not be one of those who give pledges,
who become surety for debts.(Q)
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.(R)
29 Do you see those who are skillful in their work?
They will serve kings;
they will not serve common people.(S)
Proverbs 22
Holman Christian Standard Bible
22 A good name is to be chosen over great wealth;
favor is better than silver and gold.(A)
3 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover,
but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.(C)
4 The result of humility is fear of the Lord,
along with wealth, honor, and life.(D)
5 There are thorns and snares on the path of the crooked;(E)
the one who guards himself stays far from them.
6 Teach a youth about the way he should go;(F)
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
8 The one who sows injustice will reap disaster,(I)
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
11 The one who loves a pure heart
and gracious lips—the king is his friend.(N)
12 The Lord’s eyes keep watch over knowledge,
but He overthrows the words of the treacherous.
13 The slacker says, “There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square!”(O)
14 The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit;
a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it.(P)
15 Foolishness is tangled up in the heart of a youth;
the rod of discipline will drive it away from him.(Q)
16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself,
and giving to the rich—both lead only to poverty.(R)
Words of the Wise
17 Listen closely,[d] pay attention to the words of the wise,(S)
and apply your mind to my knowledge.
18 For it is pleasing if you keep them within you
and if[e] they are constantly on your lips.
19 I have instructed you today—even you—
so that your confidence may be in the Lord.
20 Haven’t I written for you thirty sayings[f]
about counsel and knowledge,
21 in order to teach you true and reliable words,
so that you may give a dependable report[g](T)
to those who sent you?(U)
22 Don’t rob a poor man because he is poor,
and don’t crush the oppressed(V) at the gate,(W)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(X)
and will plunder those who plunder them.
24 Don’t make friends with an angry man,[h]
and don’t be a companion of a hot-tempered man,(Y)
25 or you will learn his ways(Z)
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Don’t be one of those who enter agreements,[i]
who put up security for loans.(AA)
27 If you have no money to pay,
even your bed will be taken from under you.(AB)
28 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker
that your fathers set up.(AC)
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand in the presence of kings.
He will not stand in the presence of unknown men.(AD)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:2 Lit poor meet
- Proverbs 22:2 Lit all
- Proverbs 22:9 Lit Good of eye
- Proverbs 22:17 Lit Stretch out your ear
- Proverbs 22:18 Or you; let them be, or you, so that
- Proverbs 22:20 Text emended; one Hb tradition reads you previously; alt Hb tradition reads you excellent things; LXX, Syr, Vg read you three times
- Proverbs 22:21 Lit give dependable words
- Proverbs 22:24 Lit with a master of anger
- Proverbs 22:26 Lit who shakes hands
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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