Proverbs 22

On Life and Conduct

1A 1good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.2The rich and the poor 2have a common bond, The Lord is the 3maker of them all.3The 4prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the 5naive go on, and are punished for it.4The reward of humility and the 6fear of the Lord Are riches, honor and life.57Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards himself will be far from them.68Train up a child 9in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.7The 10rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.8He who 11sows iniquity will reap vanity, And the 12rod of his fury will perish.9He who 13is 14generous will be blessed, For he 15gives some of his food to the poor.1016Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease.11He who loves 17purity of heart And 18whose speech is 19gracious, the king is his friend.12The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.13The 20sluggard says, “There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets!”14The mouth of 2122an adulteress is a deep pit; He who is 23cursed of the Lord will fall 24into it.15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The 25rod of discipline will remove it far from him.16He 26who oppresses the poor to make 27more for himself Or who gives to the rich, 28will only come to poverty.

1729Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge;18For it will be 30pleasant if you keep them within you, 31That they may be ready on your lips.19So that your 32trust may be in the Lord, I have 33taught you today, even you.20Have I not written to you 3435excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,21To make you 36know the 37certainty of the words of truth That you may 3839correctly answer him who sent you?

2240Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Or 41crush the afflicted at the gate;23For the Lord will 42plead their case And 43take the life of those who rob them.

24Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a 44hot-tempered man,25Or you will 45learn his ways And 46find a snare for yourself.

26Do not be among those who 47give 48pledges, Among those who become guarantors for debts.27If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he 49take your bed from under you?

2850Do not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set.

29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will 51stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.