Proverbs Chapter 22

¹ A good name means more than great wealth;

being blessed is better than having silver and gold.

                  ²The rich and the poor have this in common:

            Yahveh made them both.

³ Prudent people see evil and avoid it;

but the simpleminded rush on ahead and suffer for it.

                  ⁴Wealth, honor, and life are rewards

            for humility and reverence for Yahveh.

⁵ Briers and snares lie along the path of perverse people;

those who watch what they’re doing avoid such things.

                  ⁶Train up children in the way they should go;

            and when they’re older, they won’t stray from it.     

Prov 22:1-6

⁷ The rich rule the poor;

borrowers become servants to lenders.

                  ⁸Those who sow sin reap disaster,

            and their fury won’t subdue the opposition.

⁹ Generous people will be blessed

because they give some of their food to the poor.

                  ¹⁰Get rid of scoffers, and contention leaves too;

            conflict and dishonor stop.

¹¹ The one that loves a pure heart

and has gracious speech becomes a king’s friend.

                  ¹²Yahveh preserves knowledge

            and overthrows what unreliable people say.             

Prov 22:7-12

¹³ Lazy people claim, “There’s a lion outside;

I’ll surely get killed in the streets!”

                  ¹⁴An immoral woman’s mouth is a deep pit;

            the one Yahveh curses falls into it.

¹⁵ Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a kid,

but discipline drives it out.

                  ¹⁶Those who oppress the poor to get ahead—

            or regale the rich—come to poverty themselves.

Prov 22:13-16

¹⁷ Listen to the wise

      and apply your mind to my instruction;

      ¹⁸ it will be pleasant if you retain it

            so you’re ready to pass it on.

      ¹⁹ I’m teaching you today

            so you’ll trust in Yahveh.

²⁰ Haven’t I written helpful things

            about advice and knowledge,

      ²¹ to make you sure of the truth

            so you can report correctly to the one that sent you?

²² Don’t rob the poor, who can’t resist,

            or try to crush them in court;

      ²³ Yahveh will argue their case

            and sentence to death those who’ve robbed them.    

Prov 22:17-23

²⁴ Don’t associate with people prone to anger

            or go around with hotheaded types;

      ²⁵ you’ll pick up their habits

            and entangle yourself in a net.

²⁶ Don’t give pledges or sign for debts.

         ²⁷If you can’t pay,

            why let someone take your bed from under you?

²⁸ Don’t remove the ancient boundary markers

that your ancestors have set.

                  ²⁹Do you see people skilled at their work?