1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,

and favour is better than silver or gold.

2The rich and the poor meet together;

the LORD is the Maker of them all.

3The prudent sees danger and hides himself,

but the simple go on and suffer for it.

4The reward for humility and fear of the LORD

is riches and honour and life.22:4 Or The reward for humility is the fear of the LORD, riches and honour and life

5Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;

whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.

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

even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7The rich rules over the poor,

and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

8Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,

and the rod of his fury will fail.

9Whoever has a bountiful22:9 Hebrew good eye will be blessed,

for he shares his bread with the poor.

10Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out,

and quarrelling and abuse will cease.

11He who loves purity of heart,

and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.

12The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge,

but he overthrows the words of the traitor.

13The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!

I shall be killed in the streets!”

14The mouth of forbidden22:14 Hebrew strange women is a deep pit;

he with whom the LORD is angry will fall into it.

15Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,

but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

16Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,

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

Words of the Wise

17Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise,

and apply your heart to my knowledge,

18for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,

if all of them are ready on your lips.

19That your trust may be in the LORD,

I have made them known to you today, even to you.

20Have I not written for you thirty sayings

of counsel and knowledge,

21to make you know what is right and true,

that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

22Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,

or crush the afflicted at the gate,

23for the LORD will plead their cause

and rob of life those who rob them.

24Make no friendship with a man given to anger,

nor go with a wrathful man,

25lest you learn his ways

and entangle yourself in a snare.

26Be not one of those who give pledges,

who put up security for debts.

27If you have nothing with which to pay,

why should your bed be taken from under you?

28Do not move the ancient landmark

that your fathers have set.

29Do you see a man skilful in his work?

He will stand before kings;

he will not stand before obscure men.