Proverbs 22:1-29

Proverbs 22:1-29 King James Version (KJV)

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. 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.

Proverbs 22:1-29 The Message (MSG)

A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich; a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank. The rich and the poor shake hands as equals— GOD made them both! A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks; a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered. The payoff for meekness and Fear-of-GOD is plenty and honor and a satisfying life. The perverse travel a dangerous road, potholed and mud-slick; if you know what’s good for you, stay clear of it. Point your kids in the right direction— when they’re old they won’t be lost. The poor are always ruled over by the rich, so don’t borrow and put yourself under their power. Whoever sows sin reaps weeds, and bullying anger sputters into nothing. Generous hands are blessed hands because they give bread to the poor. Kick out the troublemakers and things will quiet down; you need a break from bickering and griping! GOD loves the pure-hearted and well-spoken; good leaders also delight in their friendship. GOD guards knowledge with a passion, but he’ll have nothing to do with deception. The loafer says, “There’s a lion on the loose! If I go out I’ll be eaten alive!” The mouth of a prostitute is a bottomless pit; you’ll fall in that pit if you’re on the outs with GOD. Young people are prone to foolishness and fads; the cure comes through tough-minded discipline. Exploit the poor or glad-hand the rich—whichever, you’ll end up the poorer for it. Listen carefully to my wisdom; take to heart what I can teach you. You’ll treasure its sweetness deep within; you’ll give it bold expression in your speech. To make sure your foundation is trust in GOD, I’m laying it all out right now just for you. I’m giving you thirty sterling principles— tested guidelines to live by. Believe me—these are truths that work, and will keep you accountable to those who sent you. Don’t walk on the poor just because they’re poor, and don’t use your position to crush the weak, Because GOD will come to their defense; the life you took, he’ll take from you and give back to them. Don’t hang out with angry people; don’t keep company with hotheads. Bad temper is contagious— don’t get infected. Don’t gamble on the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, pawning your house against a lucky chance. The time will come when you have to pay up; you’ll be left with nothing but the shirt on your back. Don’t stealthily move back the boundary lines staked out long ago by your ancestors. Observe people who are good at their work— skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don’t take a backseat to anyone.

Proverbs 22:1-29 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold. The rich and the poor have a common bond, The LORD is the maker of them all. The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive go on, and are punished for it. The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards himself will be far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave. He who sows iniquity will reap vanity, And the rod of his fury will perish. He who is generous will be blessed, For he gives some of his food to the poor. Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease. He who loves purity of heart And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend. The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man. The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets!” The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; He who is cursed of the LORD will fall into it. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him. He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty. Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge; For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, That they may be ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you. Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, To make you know the certainty of the words of truth That you may correctly answer him who sent you? Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush the afflicted at the gate; For the LORD will plead their case And take the life of those who rob them. Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man, Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself. Do not be among those who give pledges, Among those who become guarantors for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take your bed from under you? Do not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set. Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.

Proverbs 22:1-29 New Century Version (NCV)

Being respected is more important than having great riches. To be well thought of is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor are alike in that the LORD made them all. The wise see danger ahead and avoid it, but fools keep going and get into trouble. Respecting the LORD and not being proud will bring you wealth, honor, and life. Evil people’s lives are like paths covered with thorns and traps. People who guard themselves don’t have such problems. Train children to live the right way, and when they are old, they will not stray from it. The rich rule over the poor, and borrowers are servants to lenders. Those who plan evil will receive trouble. Their cruel anger will come to an end. Generous people will be blessed, because they share their food with the poor. Get rid of the one who makes fun of wisdom. Then fighting, quarrels, and insults will stop. Whoever loves pure thoughts and kind words will have even the king as a friend. The LORD guards knowledge, but he destroys false words. The lazy person says, “There’s a lion outside! I might get killed out in the street!” The words of an unfaithful wife are like a deep trap. Those who make the LORD angry will get caught by them. Every child is full of foolishness, but punishment can get rid of it. Whoever gets rich by mistreating the poor, and gives presents to the wealthy, will become poor. Listen carefully to what wise people say; pay attention to what I am teaching you. It will be good to keep these things in mind so that you are ready to repeat them. I am teaching them to you now so that you will put your trust in the LORD. I have written thirty sayings for you, which give knowledge and good advice. I am teaching you true and reliable words so that you can give true answers to anyone who asks. Do not abuse poor people because they are poor, and do not take away the rights of the needy in court. The LORD will defend them in court and will take the life of those who take away their rights. Don’t make friends with quick-tempered people or spend time with those who have bad tempers. If you do, you will be like them. Then you will be in real danger. Don’t promise to pay what someone else owes, and don’t guarantee anyone’s loan. If you cannot pay the loan, your own bed may be taken right out from under you. Don’t move an old stone that marks a border, because those stones were set up by your ancestors. Do you see people skilled in their work? They will work for kings, not for ordinary people.

Proverbs 22:1-29 American Standard Version (ASV)

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, And loving favor rather than silver and gold. The rich and the poor meet together: Jehovah is the maker of them all. A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it. The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah Is riches, and honor, and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse: He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go, And even 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 calamity; And the rod of his wrath shall fail. He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; For he giveth of his bread to the poor. Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out; Yea, strife and ignominy will cease. He that loveth pureness of heart, For the grace of his lips the king will be his friend. The eyes of Jehovah preserve him that hath knowledge; But he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man. The sluggard 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 Jehovah shall fall therein. Foolishness is bound up 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 gain, And he that giveth to the rich, shall come only to want. Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, And apply thy heart unto my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, If they be established together upon thy lips. That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee. Have not I written unto thee excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, To make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, That thou mayest carry back words of truth to them that send thee? Rob not the poor, because he is poor; Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For Jehovah will plead their cause, And despoil of life those that despoil them. Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; And with a wrathful man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, And get a snare to thy soul. Be thou not one of them that strike hands, Or of them that are sureties for debts. If thou hast not wherewith 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.

Proverbs 22:1-29 New International Version (NIV)

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all. The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are riches and honor and life. In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them. Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity, and the rod they wield in fury will be broken. The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended. One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend. The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful. The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside! I’ll be killed in the public square!” The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit; a man who is under the LORD’s wrath falls into it. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away. One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty. Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD, I teach you today, even you. Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge, teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth, so that you bring back truthful reports to those you serve? Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the LORD will take up their case and will exact life for life. Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared. Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you. Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors. Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.

Proverbs 22:1-29 New King James Version (NKJV)

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all. A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will 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 rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail. He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor. Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease. He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend. The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless. The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him. He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty. Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, So that your trust may be in the LORD; I have instructed you today, even you. Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you? Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; For the LORD will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them. Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul. Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you? Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.

Proverbs 22:1-29 Amplified Bible (AMP)

A good name [earned by honorable behavior, godly wisdom, moral courage, and personal integrity] is more desirable than great riches; And favor is better than silver and gold. The rich and poor have a common bond; The LORD is the Maker of them all. A prudent and far-sighted person sees the evil [of sin] and hides himself [from it], But the naive continue on and are punished [by suffering the consequences of sin]. The reward of humility [that is, having a realistic view of one’s importance] and the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the LORD Is riches, honor, and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the obstinate [for their lack of honor and their wrong-doing traps them]; He who guards himself [with godly wisdom] will be far from them and avoid the consequences they suffer. Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], Even when he is old he will not depart from it. The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. He who sows injustice will reap [a harvest of] trouble, And the rod of his wrath [with which he oppresses others] will fail. He who is generous will be blessed, For he gives some of his food to the poor. Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go away; Even strife and dishonor will cease. He who loves purity of heart And whose speech is gracious will have the king as his friend. The eyes of the LORD keep guard over knowledge and the one who has it, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous. The lazy one [manufactures excuses and] says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets [if I go out to work]!” The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit [deep and inescapable]; He who is cursed by the LORD [because of his adulterous sin] will fall into it. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline [correction administered with godly wisdom and lovingkindness] will remove it far from him. He who oppresses or exploits the poor to get more for himself Or who gives to the rich [to gain influence and favor], will only come to poverty. Listen carefully and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge; For it will be pleasant if you keep them in mind [incorporating them as guiding principles]; Let them be ready on your lips [to guide and strengthen yourself and others]. So that your trust and reliance and confidence may be in the LORD, I have taught these things to you today, even to you. Have I not written to you excellent things In counsels and knowledge, To let you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may give a correct answer to him who sent you? Do not rob the poor because he is poor [and defenseless], Nor crush the afflicted [by legal proceedings] at the gate [where the city court is held], For the LORD will plead their case And take the life of those who rob them. Do not even associate with a man given to angry outbursts; Or go [along] with a hot-tempered man, Or you will learn his [undisciplined] ways And get yourself trapped [in a situation from which it is hard to escape]. Do not be among those who give pledges [involving themselves in others’ finances], Or among those who become guarantors for others’ debts. If you have nothing with which to pay [another’s debt when he defaults], Why should his creditor take your bed from under you? Do not move the ancient landmark [at the boundary of the property] Which your fathers have set. Do you see a man skillful and experienced in his work? He will stand [in honor] before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.

Proverbs 22:1-29 New Living Translation (NLT)

Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold. The rich and poor have this in common: The LORD made them both. A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor, and long life. Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it. Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender. Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end. Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor. Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too. Quarrels and insults will disappear. Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king as a friend. The LORD preserves those with knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the treacherous. The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!” The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap; those who make the LORD angry will fall into it. A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away. A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty. Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on your lips. I am teaching you today—yes, you— so you will trust in the LORD. I have written thirty sayings for you, filled with advice and knowledge. In this way, you may know the truth and take an accurate report to those who sent you. Don’t rob the poor just because you can, or exploit the needy in court. For the LORD is their defender. He will ruin anyone who ruins them. Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul. Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for someone else. If you can’t pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you. Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by previous generations. Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.

Proverbs 22:1-29 The Passion Translation (TPT)

A beautiful reputation is more to be desired than great riches, and to be esteemed by others is more honorable than to own immense investments. The rich and the poor have one thing in common: the Lord God created each one. A prudent person with insight foresees danger coming and prepares himself for it. But the senseless rush blindly forward and suffer the consequences. Laying your life down in tender surrender before the Lord will bring life, prosperity, and honor as your reward. Twisted and perverse lives are surrounded by demonic influence. If you value your soul, stay far away from them. Dedicate your children to God and point them in the way that they should go, and the values they’ve learned from you will be with them for life. If you borrow money with interest, you’ll end up serving the interests of your creditors, for the rich rule over the poor. Sin is a seed that brings a harvest; you’ll reap a heap of trouble with every seed you plant. For your investment in sins pays a full return— the full punishment you deserve! When you are generous to the poor, you are enriched with blessings in return. Say goodbye to a troublemaker and you’ll say goodbye to quarrels, strife, tension, and arguments, for a troublemaker traffics in shame. The Lord loves those whose hearts are holy, and he is the friend of those whose ways are pure. God passionately watches over his deep reservoir of revelation-knowledge, but he subverts the lies of those who pervert the truth. A slacker always has an excuse for not working— like “I can’t go to work. There’s a lion outside! And murderers too!” Sex with an adulteress is like falling into the abyss. Those under God’s curse jump right in to their own destruction. Although rebellion is woven into a young man’s heart, tough discipline can make him into a man. There are two kinds of people headed toward poverty: those who exploit the poor and those who bribe the rich. Listen carefully and open your heart. Drink in the wise revelation that I impart. You’ll become winsome and wise when you treasure the beauty of my words. And always be prepared to share them at the appropriate time. For I’m releasing these words to you this day, yes, even to you, so that your living hope will be found in God alone, for he is the only one who is always true. Pay attention to these excellent sayings of three-fold things. For within my words you will discover true and reliable revelation. They will give you serenity so that you can reveal the truth of the word of the one who sends you. Never oppress the poor or pass laws with the motive of crushing the weak. For the Lord will rise to plead their case and humiliate the one who humiliates the poor. Walk away from an angry man or you’ll embrace a snare in your soul by becoming bad-tempered just like him. Why would you ever guarantee a loan for someone else or promise to be responsible for someone’s debts? For if you fail to pay you could lose your shirt! The previous generation has set boundaries in place. Don’t you dare move them just to benefit yourself. If you are uniquely gifted in your work, you will rise and be promoted. You won’t be held back— you’ll stand before kings!

Proverbs 22:1-29 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the Maker of them all. The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail. Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor. Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease. He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend. The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the traitor. The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!” The mouth of forbidden women is a deep pit; he with whom the LORD is angry will fall into it. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty. Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made them known to you today, even to you. Have I not written for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge, to make you know what is right and true, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you? Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate, for the LORD will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them. Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you? Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set. Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.