Proverbios 22

¹ A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold -- good grace. ² Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all [is] Jehovah. ³ The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished. ⁴ The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life. ⁵ Thorns -- snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them. ⁶ Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it. ⁷ The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender. ⁸ Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out. ⁹ The good of eye -- he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor. ¹⁰ Cast out a scorner -- and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease. ¹¹ Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend. ¹² The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous. ¹³ The slothful hath said, `A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.' ¹⁴ A deep pit [is] the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there. ¹⁵ Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him. ¹⁶ He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich -- only to want. ¹⁷ Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge, ¹⁸ For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips. ¹⁹ That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou. ²⁰ Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge? ²¹ To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee. ²² Rob not the poor because he [is] poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate. ²³ For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers. ²⁴ Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in, ²⁵ Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul. ²⁶ Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens. ²⁷ If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee? ²⁸ Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made. ²⁹ Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!