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22 Rather than wealth, choose a good reputation,
    esteem over silver and gold.

Rich and poor have this in common —
    Adonai made them both.

The clever see trouble coming and hide;
    the simple go on and pay the penalty.

The reward for humility is fear of Adonai,
    along with wealth, honor and life.

Thorns and snares beset the way of the stubborn;
    he who values his life keeps his distance from them.

Train a child in the way he [should] go;
    and, even when old, he will not swerve from it.

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

He who sows injustice reaps trouble,
    and the rod of his angry outburst will fail.

He who is generous is blessed,
    because he shares his food with the poor.

10 Throw the scoffer out, and quarreling goes too;
    strife and insults cease.

11 He who loves the pure-hearted and is gracious in speech
    will have the king as his friend.

12 The eyes of Adonai protect [the man with] knowledge,
    but he overturns the plans of a traitor.

13 A lazy man says, “There’s a lion outside!
    I’ll be killed if I go out in the street!”
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;
    the man with whom Adonai is angry falls into it.

15 Doing wrong is firmly tied to the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline will drive it far away from him.

16 Both oppressing the poor to enrich oneself
    and giving to the rich yield only loss.

17 Pay attention, and listen to the words of the wise;
    apply your heart to my knowledge;
18 for it is pleasant to keep them deep within you;
    have all of them ready on your lips.
19 I want your trust to be in Adonai;
    this is why I’m instructing you about them today.
20 I have written you worthwhile things
    full of good counsel and knowledge,
21 so you will know that these sayings are certainly true
    and bring back true sayings to him who sent you.

22 Don’t exploit the helpless, because they are helpless,
    and don’t crush the poor in court,
23 for Adonai will plead their case for them
    and withhold life from those who defraud them.

24 Don’t associate with an angry man;
    make no hot-tempered man your companion.
25 If you do, you may learn his ways
    and find yourself caught in a trap.

26 Don’t be one of those who give pledges,
    guaranteeing loans made to others;
27 for if you don’t have the wherewithal to pay,
    they will take your bed away from underneath you.

28 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone
    set up by your ancestors.

29 Do you see a man skilled at his work?
    He will serve kings, not obscure people.

22 (A)A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
    and favor is better than silver or gold.
(B)The rich and the poor meet together;
    the Lord is (C)the Maker of them all.
(D)The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
    but the simple go on and suffer for it.
The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
    is (E)riches and honor and life.[a]
(F)Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
    whoever (G)guards his soul will keep far from them.
(H)Train up a child in the way he should go;
    even when he is old he will not depart from it.
(I)The rich rules over the poor,
    and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
Whoever (J)sows injustice will reap calamity,
    and (K)the rod of his fury will fail.
(L)Whoever has a bountiful[b] eye will be blessed,
    for he (M)shares his bread with the poor.
10 (N)Drive out a scoffer, (O)and strife will go out,
    and (P)quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who (Q)loves purity of heart,
    and whose (R)speech is gracious, (S)will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he (T)overthrows the words of the traitor.
13 (U)The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
    I shall be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of (V)forbidden[c] women is (W)a deep pit;
    (X)he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but (Y)the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
    or gives to the rich, (Z)will only come to poverty.

Words of the Wise

17 (AA)Incline your ear, and hear (AB)the words of the wise,
    (AC)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 (AD)thirty sayings
    of counsel and knowledge,
21 to (AE)make you know what is right and true,
    that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

22 (AF)Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
    or (AG)crush the afflicted at (AH)the gate,
23 for (AI)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.
26 Be not one of those who (AJ)give pledges,
    who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
    why should (AK)your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient (AL)landmark
    that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?
    He will (AM)stand before kings;
    he will not stand before obscure men.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:4 Or The reward for humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and honor and life
  2. Proverbs 22:9 Hebrew good
  3. Proverbs 22:14 Hebrew strange

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.

22 美名胜过巨富,
    恩宠比金银宝贵。
富人和穷人相同:
    都由耶和华所造。
明哲人遇祸躲避,
    愚昧人前往受害。
心存谦卑、敬畏耶和华,
    必得财富、尊荣和生命。
奸徒之道有荆棘和陷阱,
    想保全生命的必须远避。
教导孩童走正路,
    他到老也不偏离。
富人管辖穷人,
    欠债的是债主的仆人。
播种不义的必收灾祸,
    他的恶势力终必瓦解。
慷慨的人必蒙福,
    因他给穷人食物。
10 赶走嘲讽者,纷争平息,
    争吵和羞辱也会消除。
11 喜爱清心、口吐恩言的人,
    必与君王为友。
12 耶和华的眼目护卫真理,
    祂必推翻奸徒的言论。
13 懒惰人说:“外面有狮子,
    我会丧命街头。”
14 淫妇的口是深坑,
    耶和华憎恶的人必陷进去。
15 愚昧缠住孩童的心,
    教棍能远远赶走它。
16 靠压榨穷人敛财和送礼给富人的,
    都必穷困潦倒。

智者之言

17 你要侧耳听智者之言,
    专心领受我的教诲,
18 铭记在心、随时诵咏,
    方为美事。
19 今天我将这些指示你,
    为要使你倚靠耶和华。
20 关于谋略和知识,
    我已写给你三十条,
21 要使你认识真理,
    能准确答复差你来的人。

22 不可仗势剥削贫穷人,
    法庭上不可欺凌弱者,
23 因为耶和华必为他们申冤,
    夺去掠夺他们之人的性命。

24 不可结交脾气暴躁者,
    不要跟易怒之人来往,
25 免得你沾染他们的恶习,
    不能自拔。

26 不要为人击掌作保,
    不要为欠债的抵押。
27 如果你还不起,
    连你的床也会被抬走。

28 不可移动祖先定下的界石。
29 你看那精明能干的人,
    他必侍立在君王面前,
    不会效力于泛泛之辈。