Proverbs 22

On Life and Conduct

1A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,

Favor is better than silver and gold.

2The rich and the poor have a common bond,

The Lord is the maker of them all.

3The prudent sees the evil and hides himself,

But the naive go on, and are punished for it.

4The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord

Are riches, honor and life.

5Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;

He who guards himself will be far from them.

6Train up a child in the way he should go,

Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7The rich rules over the poor,

And the borrower becomes the lender's slave.

8He who sows iniquity will reap vanity,

And the rod of his fury will perish.

9He who is generous will be blessed,

For he gives some of his food to the poor.

10Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out,

Even strife and dishonor will cease.

11He who loves purity of heart

And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.

12The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,

But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.

13The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside;

I will be killed in the streets!”

14The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;

He who is cursed of the Lord will fall into it.

15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;

The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.

16He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself

Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,

And apply your mind to my knowledge;

18For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,

That they may be ready on your lips.

19So that your trust may be in the Lord,

I have taught you today, even you.

20Have I not written to you excellent things

Of counsels and knowledge,

21To make you know the certainty of the words of truth

That you may correctly answer him who sent you?

22Do not rob the poor because he is poor,

Or crush the afflicted at the gate;

23For the Lord will plead their case

And take the life of those who rob them.

24Do not associate with a man given to anger;

Or go with a hot-tempered man,

25Or you will learn his ways

And find a snare for yourself.

26Do not be among those who give pledges,

Among those who become guarantors for debts.

27If you have nothing with which to pay,

Why should he take your bed from under you?

28Do not move the ancient boundary

Which your fathers have set.

29Do you see a man skilled in his work?

He will stand before kings;

He will not stand before obscure men.