Proverbs 22
22
1A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
2Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the Maker of them all.
3The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
4Humility is the fear of the Lord;
its wages are riches and honor and life.
5In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,
but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.
6Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
7The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
8Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,
and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.
9The generous will themselves be blessed,
for they share their food with the poor.
10Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended.
11One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
will have the king for a friend.
12The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
13The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square!”
14The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;
a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.
15Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.
16One 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
17Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
18for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
Saying 2
22Do not exploit the poor because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,
23for the Lord will take up their case
and will exact life for life.
Saying 3
24Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared.
Saying 4
26Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge
or puts up security for debts;
27if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.
Saying 5
28Do not move an ancient boundary stone
set up by your ancestors.
Saying 6
29Do you see someone skilled in their work?
They will serve before kings;
they will not serve before officials of low rank.
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
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Proverbs 22
22
1 # [Eccles. 7:1] A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 # [ch. 29:13] The rich and the poor meet together;
the Lord is #ch. 14:31; Job 31:15the Maker of them all.
3 # ch. 27:12; [ch. 14:16] The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
4The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is #[ch. 21:20, 21]riches and honor and life.#22:4 Or The reward for humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and honor and life
5 # ch. 15:19 Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
whoever #ch. 21:23; [1 John 5:18]guards his soul will keep far from them.
6 #
Eph. 6:4; 2 Tim. 3:15 Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 #
James 2:6
The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8Whoever #Job 4:8; [Hos. 10:13] sows injustice will reap calamity,
and #[Isa. 14:6; 30:31]the rod of his fury will fail.
9 # [ch. 19:17; 2 Cor. 9:6] Whoever has a bountiful#22:9 Hebrew good eye will be blessed,
for he #[ch. 19:17; Luke 14:13, 14]shares his bread with the poor.
10 # [Gen. 21:9, 10] Drive out a scoffer, #[ch. 26:20] and strife will go out,
and #ch. 26:20quarreling and abuse will cease.
11He who #[ch. 16:13; Ps. 101:6] loves purity of heart,
and whose #[Eccles. 10:12] speech is gracious, #[ch. 14:35]will have the king as his friend.
12The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he #ch. 21:12; [ch. 11:3]overthrows the words of the traitor.
13 # ch. 26:13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”
14The mouth of #See ch. 2:16 forbidden#22:14 Hebrew strange women is #[ch. 23:27] a deep pit;
#
Eccles. 7:26
he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but #See ch. 13:24the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
or gives to the rich, #ch. 28:22will only come to poverty.
Words of the Wise
17 # ch. 5:1 Incline your ear, and hear #ch. 1:6; 24:23 the words of the wise,
# [ch. 23:12] and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
19That your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20Have I not written for you #ch. 8:6thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21to #[Luke 1:3, 4]make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22 # [Ex. 23:6; Zech. 7:10; Mal. 3:5] Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or #See Job 5:4 crush the afflicted at #Job 31:21the gate,
23for #ch. 23:11; 1 Sam. 25:39; Ps. 12:5; 35:10; 68:5; 140:12; Jer. 51:36the Lord will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
24Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
25lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26Be not one of those who #See Job 17:3give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should #[ch. 20:16; Ex. 22:26]your bed be taken from under you?
28Do not move the ancient #ch. 23:10; Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Job 24:2; Hos. 5:10landmark
that your fathers have set.
29Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will #1 Kgs. 10:8; See Gen. 41:46stand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.
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