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On Life and Conduct

22 A good name [earned by honorable behavior, godly wisdom, moral courage, and personal integrity] is more desirable than great riches;
And favor is better than silver and gold.

The rich and poor have a common bond;
The Lord is the Maker of them all.(A)

A prudent and far-sighted person sees the evil [of sin] and hides himself [from it],
But the naive continue on and are punished [by suffering the consequences of sin].

The reward of humility [that is, having a realistic view of one’s importance] and the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the Lord
Is riches, honor, and life.(B)

Thorns and snares are in the way of the obstinate [for their lack of honor and their wrong-doing traps them];
He who guards himself [with godly wisdom] will be far from them and avoid the consequences they suffer.

Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents],
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.(C)

The rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.

He who sows injustice will reap [a harvest of] trouble,
And the rod of his wrath [with which he oppresses others] will fail.

He who is generous will be blessed,
For he gives some of his food to the poor.(D)
10 
Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go away;
Even strife and dishonor will cease.
11 
He who loves purity of heart
And whose speech is gracious will have the king as his friend.
12 
The eyes of the Lord keep guard over knowledge and the one who has it,
But He overthrows the words of the treacherous.
13 
The lazy one [manufactures excuses and] says, “There is a lion outside!
I will be killed in the streets [if I go out to work]!”
14 
The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit [deep and inescapable];
He who is cursed by the Lord [because of his adulterous sin] will fall into it.
15 
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of discipline [correction administered with godly wisdom and lovingkindness] will remove it far from him.
16 
He who oppresses or exploits the poor to get more for himself
Or who gives to the rich [to gain influence and favor], will only come to poverty.

17 
Listen carefully and hear the [a]words of the wise,
And apply your mind to my knowledge;
18 
For it will be pleasant if you keep them in mind [incorporating them as guiding principles];
Let them be ready on your lips [to guide and strengthen yourself and others].
19 
So that your trust and reliance and confidence may be in the Lord,
I have taught these things to you today, even to you.
20 
Have I not written to you excellent things
In counsels and knowledge,
21 
To let you know the certainty of the words of truth,
That you may give a correct answer to him who sent you?(E)

22 
Do not rob the poor because he is poor [and defenseless],
Nor crush the afflicted [by legal proceedings] at the gate [where the city court is held],(F)
23 
For the Lord will plead their case
And take the life of those who rob them.(G)

24 
Do not even associate with a man given to angry outbursts;
Or go [along] with a hot-tempered man,
25 
Or you will learn his [undisciplined] ways
And get yourself trapped [in a situation from which it is hard to escape].

26 
Do not be among those who give pledges [involving themselves in others’ finances],
Or among those who become guarantors for others’ debts.
27 
If you have nothing with which to pay [another’s debt when he defaults],
Why should his creditor take your bed from under you?

28 
Do not move the ancient landmark [at the boundary of the property]
Which your fathers have set.

29 
Do you see a man skillful and experienced in his work?
He will stand [in honor] before kings;
He will not stand before obscure men.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:17 These verses (17-21) introduce a special collection of wisdom sayings compiled by Solomon.

22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
    to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.(A)

Rich and poor have this in common:
    The Lord is the Maker of them all.(B)

The prudent see danger and take refuge,(C)
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.(D)

Humility is the fear of the Lord;
    its wages are riches and honor(E) and life.(F)

In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,(G)
    but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

Start(H) children off on the way they should go,(I)
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(J)

The rich rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is slave to the lender.

Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,(K)
    and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.(L)

The generous will themselves be blessed,(M)
    for they share their food with the poor.(N)

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.

Thirty Sayings of the Wise

Saying 1

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?

Saying 2

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)

Saying 3

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)

Saying 4

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)

Saying 5

28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(AF)
    set up by your ancestors.

Saying 6

29 Do you see someone skilled(AG) in their work?
    They will serve(AH) before kings;(AI)
    they will not serve before officials of low rank.

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

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

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

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

Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

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

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

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.