Proverbs 22
22
1A good name is to be chosen over great wealth;
favor is better than silver and gold. # Pr 10:7; 8:10; Ec 7:1
2The rich and the poor have this in common: # Lit poor meet
the Lord made them both. # Lit all # Jb 31:13,15; Pr 29:13
3A sensible person sees danger and takes cover,
but the inexperienced keep going and are punished. # Pr 14:16; 27:12; Is 26:20
4The result of humility is fear of the Lord,
along with wealth, honor, and life. # Pr 15:33; 21:21; 29:23
5There are thorns and snares on the path of the crooked; # Pr 7:23; 15:19
the one who guards himself stays far from them.
6Teach a youth about the way he should go; # Eph 6:4
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7The rich rule over the poor, # Pr 18:23; Jms 2:6
and the borrower is a slave to the lender. # Dt 28:12-13
8The one who sows injustice will reap disaster, # Jb 4:8; Hs 10:13-14
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
9A generous person # Lit Good of eye will be blessed, # Pr 19:17; 2Co 9:6
for he shares his food with the poor. # Lk 14:13-14
10Drive out a mocker, # Gn 21:9-10 and conflict goes too;
then quarreling and dishonor will cease. # Pr 26:20
11The one who loves a pure heart
and gracious lips — the king is his friend. # Pr 16:13
12The Lord’s eyes keep watch over knowledge,
but He overthrows the words of the treacherous.
13The slacker says, “There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square! ” # Pr 26:13
14The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit;
a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it. # Pr 2:16-19; 7:5,21,27; 23:27-28; Ec 7:26
15Foolishness is tangled up in the heart of a youth;
the rod of discipline will drive it away from him. # Pr 13:24; 23:13-14; 29:15
16Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself,
and giving to the rich — both lead only to poverty. # Pr 11:24; 22:7; 28:27
Words of the Wise
17Listen closely, # Lit Stretch out your ear pay attention to the words of the wise, # Pr 5:1
and apply your mind to my knowledge.
18For it is pleasing if you keep them within you
and if # Or you; let them be, or you, so that they are constantly on your lips.
19I have instructed you today — even you —
so that your confidence may be in the Lord.
20Haven’t I written for you thirty sayings # Text emended; one Hb tradition reads you previously ; alt Hb tradition reads you excellent things ; LXX, Syr, Vg read you three times
about counsel and knowledge,
21in order to teach you true and reliable words,
so that you may give a dependable report # Lit give dependable words # Lk 1:3-4
to those who sent you? # Pr 10:26; 25:13
22Don’t rob a poor man because he is poor,
and don’t crush the oppressed # Ex 23:6; Jb 31:16; Zch 7:10; Mal 3:5 at the gate, # Ru 4:11; Pr 24:7; Zch 8:16
23for the Lord will take up their case # 1Sm 25:39; Ps 12:5; 35:10; 68:5; 140:12; Pr 23:10-11; Is 3:13-15
and will plunder those who plunder them.
24Don’t make friends with an angry man, # Lit with a master of anger
and don’t be a companion of a hot-tempered man, # Pr 15:18; 19:19
25or you will learn his ways # 1Co 15:33
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26Don’t be one of those who enter agreements, # Lit who shakes hands
who put up security for loans. # Pr 6:1-5; 11:15; 17:18
27If you have no money to pay,
even your bed will be taken from under you. # Ex 22:26; Pr 20:16
28Don’t move an ancient boundary marker
that your fathers set up. # Dt 19:14; 27:17; Jb 24:2; Pr 23:10; Hs 5:10
29Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand in the presence of kings.
He will not stand in the presence of unknown men. # Gn 41:46; 1Kg 10:8; Pr 14:35
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 22: HCSB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 22
22
1You should want a good name more than you want great riches.
To be highly respected is better than having silver or gold.
2The Lord made rich people and poor people.
That’s what they have in common.
3Wise people see danger and go to a safe place.
But childish people keep going and suffer for it.
4Being humble comes from having respect for the Lord.
This will bring you wealth and honor and life.
5Thorns and traps lie in the paths of evil people.
But those who value their lives stay far away from them.
6Start children off on the right path.
And even when they are old, they will not turn away from it.
7Rich people rule over those who are poor.
Borrowers are slaves to lenders.
8Anyone who plants evil gathers a harvest of trouble.
Their power to treat others badly will be destroyed.
9Those who give freely will be blessed.
That’s because they share their food with those who are poor.
10If you drive away those who make fun of others, fighting also goes away.
Arguing and unkind words will stop.
11A person who has a pure and loving heart and speaks kindly
will be a friend of the king.
12The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge.
But he does away with the words of those who aren’t faithful.
13People who don’t want to work say, “There’s a lion outside!”
Or they say, “I’ll be murdered if I go out into the streets!”
14The mouth of a woman who commits adultery is like a deep pit.
Any man the Lord is angry with falls into it.
15Children are going to do foolish things.
But correcting them will drive that foolishness far away.
16You might treat poor people badly or give gifts to rich people.
Trying to get rich in these ways will instead make you poor.
30 Sayings of Wise People
Saying 1
17Pay attention and listen to the sayings of wise people.
Apply your heart to the sayings I teach.
18It is pleasing when you keep them in your heart.
Have all of them ready on your lips.
19You are the one I am teaching today.
That’s because I want you to trust in the Lord.
20I have written 30 sayings for you.
They will give you knowledge and good advice.
21I am teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth.
Then you can give honest reports to those you serve.
Saying 2
22Don’t take advantage of poor people just because they are poor.
Don’t treat badly those who are in need by taking them to court.
23The Lord will stand up for them in court.
He will require the lives of people who have taken the lives of those in need.
Saying 3
24Don’t be a friend of a person who has a bad temper.
Don’t go around with a person who gets angry easily.
25You might learn their habits.
And then you will be trapped by them.
Saying 4
26Don’t agree to pay for what someone else owes.
And don’t agree to pay their bills for them.
27If you don’t have the money to pay,
your bed will be taken right out from under you!
Saying 5
28Don’t move old boundary stones
set up by your people of long ago.
Saying 6
29Do you see someone who does good work?
That person will serve kings.
That person won’t serve officials of lower rank.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.