Proverbs 22:8-25
English Standard Version
8 Whoever (A)sows injustice will reap calamity,
and (B)the rod of his fury will fail.
9 (C)Whoever has a bountiful[a] eye will be blessed,
for he (D)shares his bread with the poor.
10 (E)Drive out a scoffer, (F)and strife will go out,
and (G)quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who (H)loves purity of heart,
and whose (I)speech is gracious, (J)will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he (K)overthrows the words of the traitor.
13 (L)The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of (M)forbidden[b] women is (N)a deep pit;
(O)he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but (P)the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
or gives to the rich, (Q)will only come to poverty.
Words of the Wise
17 (R)Incline your ear, and hear (S)the words of the wise,
(T)and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20 Have I not written for you (U)thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21 to (V)make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22 (W)Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or (X)crush the afflicted at (Y)the gate,
23 for (Z)the Lord will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:9 Hebrew good
- Proverbs 22:14 Hebrew strange
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.