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.3A 4prudent person sees evil and hides himself, But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.4The reward of humility and 5the fear of the Lord Are riches, honor, and life.56Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; One who guards himself will be far from them.67Train up a child 8in the way he should go, Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.7The 9rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.8One who 10sows injustice will reap disaster, And the 11rod of his fury will perish.9One who 12is 13generous will be blessed, Because he 14gives some of his food to the poor.1015Drive out the scoffer, and strife will leave, Even quarreling and dishonor will cease.11One who loves 16purity of heart And 17whose speech is 18gracious, the king is his friend.12The eyes of the Lord protect knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous person.13The 1920lazy one 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.16One 26who oppresses the poor to make 27more for himself, Or gives to the rich, 28will only come to poverty.

1729Extend 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, 31So that they may be ready on your lips.19So that your 32trust may be in the Lord, I have 33taught you today, you indeed.20Have I not written to you 3435excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,21To make you 36know the 37certainty of the words of truth, So that you may 3839correctly answer him who sent you?

2240Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor 41crush the needy at the gate;23For the Lord will 42plead their case And 43take the life of those who rob them.

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

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

2849Do not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set.

29Do you see a person skilled in his work? He will 50stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure people.