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22 A good name is more desirable than great wealth.
    Respect is better than silver or gold.
The rich and the poor have this in common:
    Yahweh is the maker of them all.
Sensible people foresee trouble and hide from it,
    but gullible people go ahead and suffer the consequence.
On the heels of humility (the fear of Yahweh)
    are riches and honor and life.

A devious person has thorns and traps ahead of him.
    Whoever guards himself will stay far away from them.
Train a child in the way he should go,
    and even when he is old he will not turn away from it.
A rich person rules poor people,
    and a borrower is a slave to a lender.
Whoever plants injustice will harvest trouble,
    and this weapon of his own fury will be destroyed.
Whoever is generous will be blessed
    because he has shared his food with the poor.

10 Drive out a mocker, and conflict will leave.
    Quarreling and abuse will stop.
11 Whoever loves a pure heart and whoever speaks graciously
    has a king as his friend.
12 Yahweh’s eyes watch over knowledge,
    but he overturns the words of a treacherous person.

13 A lazy person says,
    “There’s a lion outside!
        I’ll be murdered in the streets!”
14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit.
    The one who is cursed by Yahweh will fall into it.
15 Foolishness is firmly attached to a child’s heart.
    Spanking will remove it far from him.
16 Oppressing the poor for profit
    or giving to the rich
        certainly leads to poverty.

Listen to My Advice

17 Open your ears, and hear the words of wise people,
    and set your mind on the knowledge I give you.
18 It is pleasant if you keep them in mind
    so that they will be on the tip of your tongue,
19 so that your trust may be in Yahweh.
    Today I have made them known to you, especially to you.
20 Didn’t I write to you previously with advice and knowledge
21 in order to teach you the words of truth
    so that you can give an accurate report to those who send you?

Living with Your Neighbor

22 Do not rob the poor because they are poor
    or trample on the rights of an oppressed person at the city gate,
23 because Yahweh will plead their case
    and will take the lives of those who rob them.
24 Do not be a friend of one who has a bad temper,
    and never keep company with a hothead,
25 or you will learn his ways
    and set a trap for yourself.

26 Do not be found among those who make deals with a handshake,
    among those who guarantee other people’s loans.
27 If you have no money to pay back a loan,
    why should your bed be repossessed?
28 Do not move an ancient boundary marker
    that your ancestors set in place.
29 Do you see a person who is efficient in his work?
    He will serve kings.
    He will not serve unknown people.

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.