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Proverbs 22

A good name is worth choosing over great riches, and loving favour is better than silver and gold. The rich and poor meet together; the LORD is the maker of them all. A sensible man sees danger and hides himself, but the simple keep going and are punished. By humility and the fear of the LORD come riches, honour and life.

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A good name

A good name is worth choosing over great riches, and loving favour is better than silver and gold. The rich and poor meet together; the LORD is the maker of them all. A sensible man sees danger and hides himself, but the simple keep going and are punished. By humility and the fear of the LORD come riches, honour and life. Thorns and snares lie in the way of the perverse; whoever guards his soul keeps far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. Whoever sows wrongdoing will reap nothing, and the rod of his anger will fail. Whoever has a generous eye will be blessed because he gives his bread to the poor. Throw out the mocker and the fighting will leave with him; arguments and insults will stop. Whoever loves purity of heart and has gracious lips will have the king as his friend. The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthrows the words of the transgressor. The lazy man says, ‘There's a lion outside! I'll be killed in the streets!’ The mouth of strange women is a deep pit; whoever the LORD abhors will fall into it. Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it far from him. Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and whoever gives to the rich, will surely come to want.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. The rich and the poor meet together — the Lord is the maker of them all. A careful man sees the evil and hides himself, but the simple go on and are punished. By humility and the fear of the Lord come riches and honour and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the twisted. The one who keeps his soul will be far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he's old he won't turn from it. The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. The one who sows wrongdoing will reap emptiness, and the rod of his anger will fail. The one with a generous eye will be blessed, because he gives some of his bread to the poor. Throw out the mocker, and fighting will go out. Yes, arguing and insults will stop. The one who loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king will be his mate. The eyes of the Lord keep knowledge, and he overturns the words of the one who deals treacherously. The lazy man says: There's a lion outside. I'll be killed in the streets. The mouth of strange women is a deep pit. The one the Lord is angry with will fall in it. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of teaching will drive it far from him. The one who crushes the poor to make himself rich, and the one who gives to the rich, will only come to want.

A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor. The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein. Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

1

A good name is worth choosing over great riches, and loving favour is better than silver and gold.

Plain English

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

King James Version, 1611

A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

2

The rich and poor meet together; the LORD is the maker of them all.

Plain English

The rich and the poor meet together — the Lord is the maker of them all.

King James Version, 1611

The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

3

A sensible man sees danger and hides himself, but the simple keep going and are punished.

Plain English

A careful man sees the evil and hides himself, but the simple go on and are punished.

King James Version, 1611

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

4

By humility and the fear of the LORD come riches, honour and life.

Plain English

By humility and the fear of the Lord come riches and honour and life.

King James Version, 1611

By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

5

Thorns and snares lie in the way of the perverse; whoever guards his soul keeps far from them.

Plain English

Thorns and snares are in the way of the twisted. The one who keeps his soul will be far from them.

King James Version, 1611

Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

6

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Plain English

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he's old he won't turn from it.

King James Version, 1611

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

7

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Plain English

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

King James Version, 1611

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

8

Whoever sows wrongdoing will reap nothing, and the rod of his anger will fail.

Plain English

The one who sows wrongdoing will reap emptiness, and the rod of his anger will fail.

King James Version, 1611

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

9

Whoever has a generous eye will be blessed because he gives his bread to the poor.

Plain English

The one with a generous eye will be blessed, because he gives some of his bread to the poor.

King James Version, 1611

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

10

Throw out the mocker and the fighting will leave with him; arguments and insults will stop.

Plain English

Throw out the mocker, and fighting will go out. Yes, arguing and insults will stop.

King James Version, 1611

Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

11

Whoever loves purity of heart and has gracious lips will have the king as his friend.

Plain English

The one who loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king will be his mate.

King James Version, 1611

He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

12

The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthrows the words of the transgressor.

Plain English

The eyes of the Lord keep knowledge, and he overturns the words of the one who deals treacherously.

King James Version, 1611

The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

13

The lazy man says, ‘There's a lion outside! I'll be killed in the streets!’

Plain English

The lazy man says: There's a lion outside. I'll be killed in the streets.

King James Version, 1611

The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

14

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit; whoever the LORD abhors will fall into it.

Plain English

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit. The one the Lord is angry with will fall in it.

King James Version, 1611

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

15

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it far from him.

Plain English

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of teaching will drive it far from him.

King James Version, 1611

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

16

Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and whoever gives to the rich, will surely come to want.

Plain English

The one who crushes the poor to make himself rich, and the one who gives to the rich, will only come to want.

King James Version, 1611

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

Words of the wise

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise; set your heart on my knowledge. It is pleasant when you keep them within you and have them ready on your lips. So your trust may be in the LORD, I have made these things known to you today—yes, to you. Haven't I written excellent things to you in counsels and knowledge, to make you know the certainty of words of truth, so you can answer truthfully to those who send you? Don't rob the poor because he is poor, and don't oppress the afflicted at the gate. For the LORD will plead their cause and take the life of those who rob them. Don't make friends with an angry man, and don't go around with a furious man, or you'll learn his ways and set a snare for your own soul. Don't be one of those who shake hands on a pledge or guarantee another person's debts. If you have nothing to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you? Don't move the ancient landmark your fathers set in place. Do you see a man diligent in his work? He will stand before kings; he won't stand before obscure men.

Turn your ear and hear the words of the wise, and set your heart on my knowledge. Because it's a pleasant thing if you keep them inside you. They'll be settled together on your lips. So your trust can be in the Lord, I've made these known to you today, yes, to you. Haven't I written excellent things to you in counsels and knowledge — to make you know the sureness of the words of truth, so you can answer the words of truth to the ones who send to you? Don't rob the poor because he's poor, and don't crush the troubled in the gate. Because the Lord will take up their case and take the life of the ones who take from them. Don't make a mate of an angry man, and don't go with a furious man — or you'll learn his ways and get a snare for your soul. Don't be one of the ones who strike hands, or of the ones who go surety for debts. If you haven't got anything to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you? Don't shift the old boundary marker your fathers set up. Do you see a man who's quick at his work? He'll stand in front of kings. He won't stand in front of common men.

Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee? Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

17

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise; set your heart on my knowledge.

Plain English

Turn your ear and hear the words of the wise, and set your heart on my knowledge.

King James Version, 1611

Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

18

It is pleasant when you keep them within you and have them ready on your lips.

Plain English

Because it's a pleasant thing if you keep them inside you. They'll be settled together on your lips.

King James Version, 1611

For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

19

So your trust may be in the LORD, I have made these things known to you today—yes, to you.

Plain English

So your trust can be in the Lord, I've made these known to you today, yes, to you.

King James Version, 1611

That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

20

Haven't I written excellent things to you in counsels and knowledge,

Plain English

Haven't I written excellent things to you in counsels and knowledge —

King James Version, 1611

Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

21

to make you know the certainty of words of truth, so you can answer truthfully to those who send you?

Plain English

to make you know the sureness of the words of truth, so you can answer the words of truth to the ones who send to you?

King James Version, 1611

That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

22

Don't rob the poor because he is poor, and don't oppress the afflicted at the gate.

Plain English

Don't rob the poor because he's poor, and don't crush the troubled in the gate.

King James Version, 1611

Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

23

For the LORD will plead their cause and take the life of those who rob them.

Plain English

Because the Lord will take up their case and take the life of the ones who take from them.

King James Version, 1611

For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

24

Don't make friends with an angry man, and don't go around with a furious man,

Plain English

Don't make a mate of an angry man, and don't go with a furious man —

King James Version, 1611

Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

25

or you'll learn his ways and set a snare for your own soul.

Plain English

or you'll learn his ways and get a snare for your soul.

King James Version, 1611

Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

26

Don't be one of those who shake hands on a pledge or guarantee another person's debts.

Plain English

Don't be one of the ones who strike hands, or of the ones who go surety for debts.

King James Version, 1611

Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

27

If you have nothing to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?

Plain English

If you haven't got anything to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?

King James Version, 1611

If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

28

Don't move the ancient landmark your fathers set in place.

Plain English

Don't shift the old boundary marker your fathers set up.

King James Version, 1611

Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

29

Do you see a man diligent in his work? He will stand before kings; he won't stand before obscure men.

Plain English

Do you see a man who's quick at his work? He'll stand in front of kings. He won't stand in front of common men.

King James Version, 1611

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.