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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.

3A prudent person sees evil and hides himself,

But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.

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;

One who guards himself will be far from them.

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

Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.

7The rich rules over the poor,

And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.

8One who sows injustice will reap disaster,

And the rod of his fury will perish.

9One who is generous will be blessed,

Because he gives some of his food to the poor.

10Drive out the scoffer, and strife will leave,

Even quarreling and dishonor will cease.

11One who loves purity of heart

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

12The eyes of the Lord protect knowledge,

But He overthrows the words of the treacherous person.

13The lazy one 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.

16One who oppresses the poor to make more for himself,

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

17Extend 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,

So that they may be ready on your lips.

19So that your trust may be in the Lord,

I have taught you today, you indeed.

20Have I not written to you excellent things

Of counsels and knowledge,

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

So that you may correctly answer him who sent you?

22Do not rob the poor because he is poor,

Nor crush the needy at the gate;

23For the Lord will plead their case

And take the life of those who rob them.

24Do not make friends with a person given to anger,

Or go with a hot-tempered person,

25Or you will learn his ways

And find a snare for yourself.

26Do not be among those who shake hands,

Among those who become guarantors for debts.

27If you have nothing with which to repay,

Why should he take your bed from under you?

28Do not move the ancient boundary

Which your fathers have set.

29Do you see a person skilled in his work?

He will stand before kings;

He will not stand before obscure people.

Proverbs

Chapter 22

22 of 31