Proverbs 22

1 A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.

2 The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.

3 The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.

4 The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.

5 Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them.

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

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

8 He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

9 A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

10 Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.

11 He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.

12 The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.

13 The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”

14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it.

15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.

17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise—apply your mind to my knowledge—

18 for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips.

19 So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you.

20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge,

21 to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you?

22 Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate,

23 for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.

24 Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man,

25 or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

26 Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts.

27 If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?

28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.

29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

1 ¶ A [good] name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, [and] loving favour rather than silver and gold.

2 ¶ The rich and poor meet together: the LORD [is] the maker of them all.

3 ¶ A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

4 ¶ By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honour, and life.

5 ¶ Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

6 ¶ Train up a child in the way he should go: and 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 vanity: and the rod of his anger 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 scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

11 ¶ He that loveth pureness of heart, [for] the grace of his lips the king [shall be] his friend.

12 ¶ The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

13 ¶ The slothful [man] 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 the LORD shall fall therein.

15 ¶ Foolishness [is] bound 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 [riches, and] he that giveth to the rich, [shall] surely [come] to want.

17 ¶ Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

18 For [it is] a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

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

20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

22 ¶ Rob not the poor, because he [is] poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

24 ¶ Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

26 ¶ Be not thou [one] of them that strike hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts.

27 If thou hast nothing 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].

1 Rumour is more precious than great riches, and favour better than silver and gold.

2 Rich and poor must be one with another: the LORD hath made them all.

3 the funny man sees the misfortune and hides himself; the silly go through and are damaged.

4 Wherever there is suffering in the fear of the LORD, there is riches and honour and life.

5 There are thorns and cords in the way of the wicked: but he that is fenced from them preserveth his life.

6 As a boy is accustomed, so he will not leave it when he is old.

7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and he that boreth is the servant of the hireling.

8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap trouble, and shall perish with the rod of his wickedness.

9 A good eye is blessed: for he giveth his bread to the poor.

10 Cast out the scorner, and the quarrel shall be put away: then cease from strife and reproach.

11 A friend of the king is he that hath a true heart and a kind speech.

12 The eyes of the LORD keep good counsel: but the words of the scorner he turneth back.

13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I would be slain in the street.

14 The mouth of the harlot is a deep pit: whosoever the LORD displeaseth shall fall into it.

15 Folly is in the heart of the child: but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

16 Whosoever shall wrong the poor, that his goods may be much, the same shall give to the rich, and shall lack.

17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and take my teaching to heart.

18 For it shall do thee good to keep them with thee, and they shall prosper together at thy mouth,

19 That thy hope may be in the LORD. I must daily remind thee of these things for thy good.

20 Have I not enjoined thee manifoldly with counsels and doctrines?

21 That I might shew thee a certain ground of truth, that thou mightest answer rightly them that send thee?

22 Rob not the poor, though he be poor; neither oppress the wretched in the gate;

23 For the LORD shall deal with their cause, and shall subdue their trespassers.

24 Be not thou a man of wrath, neither be thou a fierce man;

25 Thou wilt learn his way, and thou wilt give offence to thy soul.

26 Be not with them that arrest their hand, and become sureties for iniquity;

27 For where thou hast it not to pay, they shall take away thy bed from under thee.

28 Drive not back the former bounds which thy fathers made.

29 When thou seest a man at length in his business, he shall stand before kings, and shall not stand before the base.