Proverbs 22

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

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

8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

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

9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

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

10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

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

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

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

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

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

13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall 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.

14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

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

15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

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

16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

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

28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

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.

29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.