Proverbs 22:1-29
22 A good name* is to be chosen rather than great wealth;+To be respected* is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:*
Jehovah made them both.+
3 The shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself,But the inexperienced keep right on going and suffer the consequences.*
4 The result of humility and the fear of JehovahIs riches and glory and life.+
5 Thorns and traps are in the crooked man’s path,But whoever values his life* keeps far away from them.+
6 Train a boy* in the way he should go;+Even when he grows old he will not depart from it.+
7 The rich one rules the poor,And the borrower is a slave to the lender.+
8 Whoever sows unrighteousness will reap disaster,+And the rod of his fury will come to its end.+
9 The generous person* will be blessed,For he shares his food with the poor.+
10 Drive away the scornful man,And contention will disappear;Disputes* and insults will cease.
11 The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is graciousWill have the king as his friend.+
12 The eyes of Jehovah safeguard knowledge,But He overturns the words of the treacherous.+
13 The lazy one says: “There is a lion outside!
I will be killed in the middle of the public square!”+
14 The mouth of wayward* women is a deep pit.+
The one condemned by Jehovah will fall into it.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a boy,*+But the rod of discipline will remove it far from him.+
16 The one defrauding the poor to increase his wealth+And the one giving gifts to the richWill end up in poverty.
17 Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise,+In order to apply your heart to my knowledge,+
18 For it is pleasant to keep them deep within you,+So that all of them may constantly be on your lips.+
19 For your confidence to be in Jehovah,I am giving you knowledge today.
20 Have I not already written you,Imparting advice and knowledge,
21 To teach you true and reliable words,So that you can return with an accurate report to the one who sent you?
22 Do not rob the poor man because he is poor,+And do not crush the lowly man in the city gate,+
23 For Jehovah himself will plead their cause+And he will take the life* of those who defraud them.
24 Do not keep company with a hot-tempered manOr get involved with one disposed to rage,
25 So that you never learn his waysAnd ensnare yourself.*+
26 Do not be among those who shake hands in a pledge,Who put up security for loans.+
27 If you have nothing to pay,Your bed will be taken right out from under you!
28 Do not move an ancient boundary markerThat your forefathers put in place.+
29 Have you seen a man skillful at his work?
He will stand before kings;+He will not stand before common men.
Footnotes
^ Lit., “Favor.”
^ Or “A good reputation.” Lit., “A name.”
^ Lit., “meet together.”
^ Or “penalty.”
^ Or “soul.”
^ Or “child; youth.”
^ Lit., “He with a good eye.”
^ Or “Lawsuits.”
^ Or “child; youth.”
^ Or “rob the soul.”
^ Or “your soul.”