Proverbs 22

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¹A good name is better than many riches. And good esteem is above silver and gold.

²The rich and poor have met one another. The Lord is the maker of them both.

³The clever saw evil and hid himself. The innocent continued on and was afflicted with damage.

⁴The end of moderation is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life.

⁵Weapons and swords are on the way of the perverse. But he who guards his own soul withdraws far from them.

⁶The proverb is: A youth is close to his way; even when he is old, he will not withdraw from it.

⁷The rich rule over the poor. And the borrower is servant to the lender.

⁸Whoever sows iniquity will reap evils, and by the rod of his own wrath he will be consumed.

⁹Whoever is inclined to mercy shall be blessed, for from his bread he has given to the poor. Whoever gives gifts will acquire victory and honor. But he carries away the soul of the receiver.

¹⁰Cast out the one who ridicules, and conflict will go out with him, and accusations and insults will cease.

¹¹Whoever loves cleanness of heart, because of the grace of his lips, will have the king as his friend.

¹²The eyes of the Lord watch over knowledge. And the words of the iniquitous are supplanted.

¹³The lazy one says: “There is a lion outside. I might be slain in the midst of the streets.”

¹⁴The mouth of a foreign woman is a deep pit; the Lord was angry with him who will fall into it.

¹⁵Foolishness has been bound to the heart of a child, and a rod of discipline shall cause it to flee.

¹⁶Whoever slanders the poor, so as to augment his own riches, will give it away to one who is richer, and will be in need.

¹⁷Incline your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Then apply your heart to my doctrine.

¹⁸It shall be beautiful to you, if you preserve it in your inner self, and it shall overflow from your lips,

¹⁹so that your confidence may be in the Lord. Therefore, I also have revealed it to you this day.

²⁰Behold, I have written it for you in three ways, and with meditations and knowledge,

²¹so that I might reveal to you, firmly and with words of truth, in order to respond about these things to those who sent you.

²²Do not act with violence toward the pauper because he is poor. And do not weary the needy at the gate.

²³For the Lord will judge his case, and he will pierce those who have pierced his soul.

²⁴Do not be willing to be a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man,

²⁵lest perhaps you learn his ways, and take up a stumbling block to your soul.

²⁶Do not be willing to be with those who certify with their hands, and who offer themselves as a guarantee against debts.

²⁷For if you do not have the means to restore, what reason should there be for him to take the covering from your bed?

²⁸Do not cross beyond the ancient limits that your fathers have set.

²⁹Have you seen a man swift in his work? He shall stand in the sight of kings, and not before those who are disreputable.

Proverbs 22

¹A good name is better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold.

²The rich and poor have met one another: the Lord is the maker of them both.

³The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.

⁴The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life.

⁵Arms and swords are in the way of the perverse: but he that keepeth his own soul, departeth far from them.

⁶It is a proverb: A young man according to his way, even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

⁷The rich ruleth over the poor: and the borrower is servant to him that lendeth.

⁸He that soweth iniquity, shall reap evils, and with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed.

⁹He that is inclined to mercy, shall be blessed: for of his bread he hath given to the poor. He that maketh presents, shall purchase victory and honour: but he carrieth away the souls of the receivers.

¹⁰Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall go out with him, and quarrels and reproaches shall cease.

¹¹He that loveth cleanness of heart, for the grace of his lips shall have the king for his friend.

¹²The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge: and the words of the unjust are overthrown.

¹³The slothful man saith: There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the midst of the streets.

¹⁴The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit: he whom the Lord is angry with, shall fall into it.

¹⁵Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction shall drive it away.

¹⁶He that oppresseth the poor, to increase his own riches, shall himself give to one that is richer, and shall be in need.

¹⁷Incline thy ear, and hear the words of the wise: and apply thy heart to my doctrine:

¹⁸Which shall be beautiful for thee, if thou keep it in thy bowels, and it shall flow in thy lips:

¹⁹That thy trust may be in the Lord, wherefore I have also shewn it to thee this day.

²⁰Behold I have described it to thee three manner of ways, in thoughts and knowledge:

²¹That I might shew thee the certainty, and the words of truth, to answer out of these to them that sent thee.

²²Do no violence to the poor, because he is poor: and do not oppress the needy in the gate:

²³Because the Lord will judge his cause: and will afflict them that have afflicted his soul.

²⁴Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man:

²⁵Lest perhaps thou learn his ways, and take scandal to thy soul.

²⁶Be not with them that fasten down their hands, and that offer themselves sureties for debts:

²⁷For if thou have not wherewith to restore, what cause is there that he should take the covering from thy bed?

²⁸Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set.

²⁹Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.