22 It is better to receive honour from people than to be very rich.
If people respect you, that is better than silver or gold.
2 This is true about rich people and poor people:
The Lord created them all.
3 A careful person can see danger and he will hide himself.
But a silly person never stops, and he walks into trouble.
4 You should be humble. You should respect and obey the Lord .
Then you will receive riches, honour and a long life.
5 Wicked people go through a lot of trouble,
like thorn bushes and traps in their way.
So be careful to keep far away from them.
6 If you teach children the right way to live,
they will not forget it when they are older.
7 Rich people have authority over poor people.
People who borrow money have to serve those who lend it to them.
8 If you plant evil things,
your harvest will be trouble.
If you are angry and you hurt people,
it will never help you.
9 If you are kind to poor people and you share your food with them,
God will bless you.
10 If someone laughs at what is right, send him away.
Then there will be no more arguments, quarrels and insults.
11 If you live in a pure way, and you speak kind words,
you will have the king as your friend.
12 The Lord watches over truth, to keep it safe.
But when people tell lies, he makes them useless.
13 A lazy person stays in his house.
He says, ‘There is a lion outside in the street!
If I go out, it will kill me!’
14 The mouth of an adulteress is like a deep hole.
If you make the Lord angry, you will fall into it!
15 Children love to do foolish things.
To stop them, you must warn and punish them.
16 Someone may be cruel to poor people to make himself rich.
Someone else may give gifts to rich people to make them his friends.
But both those people will become poor in the end.
17 Listen carefully. I will teach you what wise people have said. Think about the things that I am teaching you. 18 If you remember these things, you will be happy. Tell them to other people. 19 I want you to trust in the Lord . So I will tell you these things today. They are for you.
20 I have written down 30 wise thoughts for you. [ a ] They will teach you what is right, so that you know how to live well. 21 You can trust these words because they are true. Then you can give a good answer to the people who sent you to me.
22 1. Do not cheat poor people just because they are poor. Do not attack helpless people in court.
23 The Lord will speak on their behalf. He will punish anyone who cheats them.
24 2. Do not become a friend of angry people. Keep away from them. 25 You might become angry, like them. Then you would spoil your whole life.
26 3. Do not promise to pay someone else's debt. 27 If you cannot pay, they will take away your bed, even while you are sleeping on it!
28 4. Do not move any stone that shows the border of your land. Your ancestors put it there to stop arguments.
29 5. A worker with special skills may work for a king. He will no longer have to work for ordinary people.
22 It is better to be respected than to be rich. A good name is worth more than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor are the same. The Lord made them all.
3 Wise people see trouble coming and get out of its way, but fools go straight to it and suffer for it.
4 Respect the Lord and be humble. Then you will have wealth, honor, and true life.
5 Evil people are trapped by many troubles, but those who want to live avoid them.
6 Teach children in a way that fits their needs, and even when they are old, they will not leave the right path.
7 The rich rule over the poor. The one who borrows is a slave to the one who lends.
8 Those who spread trouble will harvest trouble. In the end, they will be destroyed for the trouble they caused.
9 Generous people will be blessed, because they share their food with the poor.
10 Get rid of the proud who laugh at what is right, and trouble will leave with them. All arguments and insults will end.
11 Love a pure heart and kind words, and the king will be your friend.
12 The Lord watches over true knowledge, and he opposes those who try to deceive others.
13 A person who is lazy and wants to stay home says, “There is a lion outside, and I might be killed in the streets!”
14 The sin of adultery is a trap, and the Lord gets very angry with those who fall into it.
15 Children do foolish things, but if you punish them, they will learn not to do them.
16 These two things will make you poor: hurting the poor to make yourself rich and giving gifts to the rich.
17 Listen carefully to these words from the wise. Pay attention to what I have learned. 18 It will be good for you to remember these words and have them ready when they are needed. 19 I will teach you these things now. I want you to trust the Lord . 20 I have written 30 sayings for you. [ a ] These are words of advice and wisdom. 21 They will teach you things that you can know for sure to be true. Then you can give good answers to the one who sent you.
22 It is easy to steal from the poor, but don’t do it. And don’t take advantage of them in court. 23 The Lord is on their side. He supports the poor, and he will take from those who take from them.
24 Don’t be friends with people who become angry easily. Don’t stay around quick-tempered people. 25 If you do, you may learn to be like them. Then you will have the same problems they do.
26 Don’t promise to pay someone else’s debt. 27 If you cannot pay, you will lose everything you have. So why should you lose the bed you sleep on?
28 Never move an old property line that was marked long ago by your ancestors.
29 Skilled workers will always serve kings. They will never have to work for less important people.
22 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
2 The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all.
3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.
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.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein.
15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19 That thy trust may be in the Lord , I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
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 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
22 A ( A ) good name is to be more desired than great wealth;
Favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor [ a ] have a common bond,
The Lord is the ( B ) Maker of them all.
3 A ( C ) prudent person sees evil and hides himself,
But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.
4 The reward of humility and [ b ] the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor, and life.
5 ( D ) Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
One who guards himself will be far from them.
6 ( E ) Train up a child [ c ] in the way he should go,
Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.
7 The ( F ) rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.
8 One who ( G ) sows injustice will reap disaster,
And the ( H ) rod of his fury will perish.
9 One who [ d ] is ( I ) generous will be blessed,
Because he ( J ) gives some of his food to the poor.
10 ( K ) Drive out the scoffer, and strife will leave,
Even quarreling and dishonor will cease.
11 One who loves ( L ) purity of heart
And [ e ] whose speech is ( M ) gracious, the king is his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord protect knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the treacherous person.
13 The [ f ] ( N ) lazy one says, “There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of [ g ] ( O ) an adulteress is a deep pit;
He who is ( P ) cursed of the Lord will fall [ h ] into it.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The ( Q ) rod of discipline will remove it far from him.
16 One ( R ) who oppresses the poor to make [ i ] more for himself,
Or gives to the rich, ( S ) will only come to poverty.
17 ( T ) Extend your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your mind to my knowledge;
18 For it will be ( U ) pleasant if you keep them within you,
[ j ] So that they may be ready on your lips.
19 So that your ( V ) trust may be in the Lord ,
I have [ k ] taught you today, you indeed.
20 Have I not written to you [ l ] ( W ) excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make you ( X ) know the [ m ] certainty of the words of truth,
So that you may [ n ] ( Y ) correctly answer him who sent you?
22 ( Z ) Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Nor ( AA ) crush the needy at the gate;
23 For the Lord will ( AB ) plead their case
And [ o ] take the life of those who rob them.
24 Do not make friends with a person given to anger,
Or go with a ( AC ) hot-tempered person,
25 Or you will ( AD ) learn his ways
And [ p ] find a snare for yourself.
26 Do not be among those who ( AE ) shake hands,
Among those who become guarantors for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to repay,
Why should he ( AF ) take your bed from under you?
28 ( AG ) Do not move the ancient boundary
Which your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a person skilled in his work?
He will ( AH ) stand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure people.
22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. ( A )
2 Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the Maker of them all. ( B )
3 The prudent see danger and take refuge, ( C )
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. ( D )
5 In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, ( G )
but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.
6 Start ( H ) children off on the way they should go, ( I )
and even when they are old they will not turn from it. ( J )
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended. ( O )
11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
will have the king for a friend. ( P )
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
13 The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside! ( Q )
I’ll be killed in the public square!”
14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit; ( R )
a man who is under the Lord ’s wrath falls into it. ( S )
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far away. ( T )
16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.
17 Pay attention ( U ) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; ( V )
apply your heart to what I teach, ( W )
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord ,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth, ( X )
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
22 Do not exploit the poor ( Y ) because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court, ( Z )
23 for the Lord will take up their case ( AA )
and will exact life for life. ( AB )
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared. ( AC )
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge ( AD )
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you. ( AE )
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone ( AF )
set up by your ancestors.
