Open English Translation PROV Chapter 22

22 A good reputation is more desirable than great wealth,

≈ and good favour more than gold or silver.

2 Rich and poor meet each other at their end.

≈ Yahweh is the creator of all of them.

3 A prudent person notices trouble and avoids it,

whereas naive people just blunder onwards and suffer.

4 The consequence of humility and respecting and honouring Yahweh

→ is riches and honour and life.

5 Thorns and traps are on the perverse person’s path,

^ but those who guard their own self-esteem keep far away from them.

6 Train your children in the way they should go,

→ then when they’re older they won’t turn away from it.

7 A rich person rules over those who are poor,

≈ and the one who borrows is enslaved to the lender.

8 The person who sows evil will harvest trouble,

and the power from his anger will end.

9 Generous people will be blessed,

because they share their food with the poor.

10 Drive away a mocker and then strife will disappear,

→ and abuse and disputes will stop.

11 The person who values pure motives, who speaks graciously,

→ will have the king for a friend.

12 Yahweh’s eyes guard knowledge,

^ but he overthrows the plans of those who behave treacherously.

13 The lazy person says, “There’s a lion outside—

→ I’ll be killed if I go outside!”

14 The mouth of a loose woman is a deep pit.

→ Those who are cursed by Yahweh will fall into it.

15 Foolish ideas are natural in the mind of a youth.

→ but the rod bringing discipline drives it far from them.

16 Those who oppress the poor or give to the rich, in order to make a profit,

→ will just end up in poverty themselves.