Proverbs 22:1-29
22 A name* is to be chosen rather than abundant riches;+ favor is better than even silver and gold.+
2 The rich one and the one of little means have met each other.+ The Maker of them all is Jehovah.+
3 Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself,+ but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty.+
4 The result of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah is riches and glory and life.+
5 Thorns [and] traps are in the way of the crooked one;+ he that is guarding his soul keeps far away from them.+
6 Train up a boy according to* the way for him;+ even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.+
7 The rich is the one that rules over those of little means,+ and the borrower is servant to the man doing the lending.+
8 He that is sowing unrighteousness will reap what is hurtful,+ but the very rod of his fury will come to its end.+
9 He that is kindly in eye will be blessed, for he has given of his food to the lowly one.+
10 Drive away the ridiculer, that contention may go out and that legal contest and dishonor may cease.+
11 The one loving purity of heart*+—for the charm of his lips the king will be his companion.+
12 The eyes of Jehovah himself have safeguarded knowledge,+ but he subverts the words* of the treacherous one.+
13 The lazy one has said:+ “There is a lion outside!+ In the midst of the public squares I shall be murdered!”
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit.+ The one denounced by Jehovah will fall into it.+
15 Foolishness is tied up with the heart of a boy;+ the rod of discipline is what will remove it far from him.+
16 He that is defrauding the lowly one to supply many things to himself,+ he also that is giving to the rich one, is surely destined for want.+
17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise ones,+ that you may apply your very heart to my knowledge.+
18 For it is pleasant that you should keep them in your belly,+ that they may be firmly established together upon your lips.+
19 For your confidence to come to be in Jehovah himself+ I have given you knowledge today, even you.*
20 Have I not written you heretofore* with counselings and knowledge,+
21 to show you the truthfulness* of true sayings, so as to return sayings that are the truth—to the one sending you forth?+
22 Do not rob the lowly one because he is lowly,+ and do not crush the afflicted one in the gate.+
23 For Jehovah himself will plead their cause,+ and he will certainly rob of soul* those robbing them.+
24 Do not have companionship with anyone given to anger;+ and with a man having fits of rage you must not enter in,
25 that you may not get familiar with his paths and certainly take a snare for your soul.+
26 Do not get to be among those striking hands,+ among those who go security for loans.+
27 If you have nothing to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?
28 Do not move back a boundary of long ago, which your forefathers have made.+
29 Have you beheld a man skillful in his work? Before kings is where he will station himself;+ he will not station himself before commonplace men.
Footnotes
^ “A name,” M(Heb., shem)Sy; TLXXVg, “A good name.”
^ Lit., “at the mouth (opening) of.”
^ “God loves the purehearted one,” TSy; LXX, “Jehovah loves pure hearts.”
^ Or, “affairs.”
^ “Caused you to know your paths today,” by a slight correction of M, in agreement with LXX.
^ Or, “in thirty sections (parts).” M is unclear.
^ Or, “life.” Heb., naʹphesh; Gr., psy·khenʹ; Lat., aʹni·mam. See App 4A.
