Proverbs 22
A Good Name Is to Be Chosen Rather Than Riches
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22:1A good name is more desirable than much wealth,
and good favor is above silver and gold.
22:2Rich and poor met one another,
and the Lord made both.
22:3A resourceful person, seeing an evil person severely punished, is himself instructed,
but fools passed by and were penalized.
22:4The offspring of wisdom is the fear of the Lord,
and wealth and glory and life.
22:5Thistles and traps are in crooked ways,
but one who guards his own life will keep away from them.
22:7The rich will rule the poor,
and household servants will lend to their own masters.
22:8One who sows worthless things will reap evils,
and he will bring the blow of his works to completion.
22:8aGod blesses a cheerful and giving man,
and He will bring the emptiness of his works to an end.
22:9One who has mercy on the poor will himself be nourished,
for he gave of his own loaves to the poor.
22:9aOne who gives gifts obtains victory and honor,
yet takes away the life of those who possess them.
22:10Cast a pestilent person out of a council, and strife will go out with him;
for whenever he sits in a council, he dishonors everyone.
22:11The Lord loves devout hearts,
and all the blameless are acceptable to Him;
a king shepherds with his lips.
22:12The eyes of the Lord preserve discernment,
but a lawless person makes words worthless.
22:13The lazy person makes a pretext and says,
“A lion is in the roads, and murderers in the squares!”
22:14The mouth of a lawless person is a deep pit,
and one hated by the Lord will fall into it.
22:14aThere are evil ways before a man,
and he does not love turning from them;
but one must turn from a crooked and evil way.
22:15Senselessness is fastened to a young person’s heart,
but rod and discipline are far from him.
22:16One who extorts from the needy makes his own things many,
but gives to the rich at a loss.
22:17Bring your ear beside words of the wise and hear my word,
and direct your heart so that you may know that they are good;
22:18and if you put them into your heart,
they will gladden you together upon your lips,
22:19so that your hope may be in the Lord,
and He may make His way known to you.
22:20And you, copy them for yourself threefold,
for counsel and knowledge upon the breadth of your heart.
22:21Therefore I teach you to heed a true word and good knowledge,
so as to answer words of truth to those who put questions to you.
22:22Do not use force against the needy, for he is poor,
and do not dishonor the weak at the gates;
22:23for the Lord will judge his case,
and you will preserve your own life unplundered.
22:24Do not be a companion to an irascible man,
and do not lodge with an angry friend,
22:25lest you learn his ways
and take nooses for your own life.
22:26Do not give yourself into a pledge out of deference to a face.
22:27For if you have no means from which to pay,
they will take the bedding from beneath your sides.
22:28Do not move everlasting boundaries
that your fathers set.
22:29A perceptive man, keen in his works,
must stand beside kings
and not stand beside sluggish men.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.