Proverbs 22:1-12

New King James Version

² The ^(B)rich and the poor have this in common,
The ^(C)Lord is the maker of them all.

³ A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself,
But the simple pass on and are ^(D)punished.

⁴ By humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches and honor and life.

⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards his soul will be far from them.

^6 (E)Train up a child in the way he should go,
^[a]And when he is old he will not depart from it.

⁷ The ^(F)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.

⁸ He who sows iniquity will reap ^(G)sorrow,^[b]
And the rod of his anger will fail.

^9 (H)He who has a ^[c]generous eye will be ^(I)blessed,
For he gives of his bread to the poor.

^10 (J)Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

^11 (K)He who loves purity of heart
And has grace on his lips,
The king will be his friend.

¹² The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the faithless.