Proverbs 22

On Life and Conduct

1 A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.

2 The rich and the poor have a common bond,
The LORD is the maker of them all.

3 The prudent sees the evil and hides himself,
But the naive go on, and are punished for it.

4 The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches, honor and life.

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

6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7 The rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower becomes the lender's slave.

8 He who sows iniquity will reap vanity,
And the rod of his fury will perish.

9 He who is generous will be blessed,
For he gives some of his food to the poor.

10 Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out,
Even strife and dishonor will cease.

11 He who loves purity of heart
And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.

12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.

13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!"

14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;
He who is cursed of the LORD will fall into it.

15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.

16 He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself
Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your mind to my knowledge;

18 For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
That they may be ready on your lips.

19 So that your trust may be in the LORD,
I have taught you today, even you.

20 Have I not written to you excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,

21 To make you know the certainty of the words of truth
That you may correctly answer him who sent you?

22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Or crush the afflicted at the gate;

23 For the LORD will plead their case
And take the life of those who rob them.

24 Do not associate with a man given to anger;
Or go with a hot-tempered man,

25 Or you will learn his ways
And find a snare for yourself.

26 Do not be among those who give pledges,
Among those who become guarantors for debts.

27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
Why should he take your bed from under you?

28 Do not move the ancient boundary
Which your fathers have set.

29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure men.

Proverbs 22

1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, And loving favor rather than silver and gold.

2 The rich and the poor meet together: Jehovah is the maker of them all.

3 A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

4 The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah Is riches, and honor, and life.

5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse: He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.

6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.

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

8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity; And the rod of his wrath shall fail.

9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; For he giveth of his bread to the poor.

10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out; Yea, strife and ignominy will cease.

11 He that loveth pureness of heart, For the grace of his lips the king will be his friend.

12 The eyes of Jehovah preserve him that hath knowledge; But he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.

13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion without: I shall be slain in the streets.

14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: He that is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall therein.

15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his gain, And he that giveth to the rich, shall come only to want.

17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, And apply thy heart unto my knowledge.

18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, If they be established together upon thy lips.

19 That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee.

20 Have not I written unto thee excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

21 To make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, That thou mayest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?

22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor; Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

23 For Jehovah will plead their cause, And despoil of life those that despoil them.

24 Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; And with a wrathful man thou shalt not go:

25 Lest thou learn this ways, And get a snare to thy soul.

26 Be thou not one of them that strike hands, Or of them that are sureties for debts.

27 If thou hast not wherewith to pay, Why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

28 Remove not the ancient landmark, Which thy fathers have set.

29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; He shall not stand before mean men.