Proverbs 22
International Children’s Bible
22 Being respected is more important than having great riches.
To be well thought of is better than owning silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor are alike
in that the Lord made them all.
3 When a wise person sees danger ahead, he avoids it.
But a foolish person keeps going and gets into trouble.
4 Respecting the Lord and not being proud
will bring you wealth, honor and life.
5 The lives of evil people are like paths covered with thorns and traps.
People who protect themselves don’t have such problems.
6 Train a child how to live the right way.
Then even when he is old, he will still live that way.
7 The rich rule over the poor.
And borrowers become servants to those who lend.
8 A person who does evil things will receive trouble in return.
Then he won’t be cruel to others any longer.
9 A generous person will be blessed
because he shares his food with the poor.
10 Get rid of the person who makes fun of wisdom.
Then fighting, quarrels and insults will stop.
11 A person who loves innocent thoughts and kind words
will have even the king as a friend.
12 The Lord protects knowledge from being lost.
But he destroys false words.
13 The lazy person says, “There’s a lion outside!
I might get killed out in the street!”
14 The words of an unfaithful wife are like a deep trap.
Those who make the Lord angry will get caught by them.
15 Every child is full of foolishness.
But punishment can get rid of it.
16 The one who gets rich by being cruel to the poor will become poor.
And so will the one who gives presents to the wealthy.
Other Wise Sayings
17 Pay attention and listen to what wise people say.
Remember what I am teaching you.
18 It will be good to keep these things in mind.
Be prepared to repeat them.
19 I am teaching them to you now
so that you will put your trust in the Lord.
20 I have written down 30 sayings for you.
They give knowledge and good advice.
21 I am teaching you true and reliable words.
Then you can give true answers to anyone who asks.
22 Do not abuse poor people because they are poor.
And do not take away the rights of the needy in court.
23 The Lord will defend them in court.
And he will take the life of those who take away their rights.
24 Don’t make friends with someone who easily gets angry.
Don’t spend time with someone who has a bad temper.
25 If you do, you may learn to be like him.
Then you will be in real danger.
26 Don’t promise to pay what someone else owes.
And don’t give guarantees that you will pay what he owes.
27 If you cannot pay what he owes,
your own bed will be taken and sold.
28 Don’t move an old stone that shows where a person’s land is.
These stones were set up by your ancestors.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
That man will work for kings.
He won’t have to work for ordinary people.
Proverbs 22
Expanded Bible
22 ·Being respected [L A good name/reputation] is more important than having great riches.
·To be well thought of [High esteem] is better than silver or gold [Eccl. 7:1].
2 The rich and the poor ·are alike [have a common bond]
in that the Lord made them all.
3 The ·wise [prudent] see ·danger [evil; trouble] ahead and avoid it,
but fools ·keep going [go straight to it] and ·get into trouble [or are punished].
4 ·Respecting [Fearing] the Lord [1:7] and ·not being proud [humility]
will bring you wealth, honor, and life.
5 Evil people’s lives are like paths covered with thorns and ·traps [nets].
People who guard themselves ·don’t have such problems [L stay far from them].
6 Train children ·to live the right way [L in their/or his path; C referring either to children or to God],
and when they are old, they will not ·stray [depart] from it.
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and borrowers are ·servants [slaves] to lenders.
8 Those who ·plan [L sow] ·evil [injustice] will ·receive [L reap; harvest] ·trouble [evil; Matt. 26:52].
·Their cruel anger [L The rod of their fury] will come to an end.
9 Generous people ·will be blessed [or he will bless],
because they share their food with the poor.
10 ·Get rid of [Banish; Drive out] the ·one who makes fun of wisdom [mocker].
Then ·fighting [conflict], ·quarrels [judgments], and ·insults [shame] will stop.
11 Whoever loves pure ·thoughts [L hearts] and kind ·words [L lips]
will have even the king as a friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge,
but he ·destroys [frustrates] ·false words [L the words of the untrustworthy/faithless].
13 The lazy person says, “There’s a lion outside!
I might get killed out in the ·street [middle of the public square]!”
14 The ·words [L mouth] of ·an unfaithful wife [L the strange woman] are like a deep ·trap [pit].
Those who make the Lord angry will ·get caught by them [L fall in it].
15 ·Every child is full of foolishness [L Stupidity/Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child],
but ·punishment can get rid of it [L the rod of discipline drives it far from them].
16 Whoever gets rich by ·mistreating [oppressing] the poor,
and gives presents to the wealthy, will become poor.
Other Wise Sayings
17 ·Listen carefully to [L Incline/Bend your ear and hear] ·what wise people say [L the words of the wise];
·pay attention to [set your heart on] what I am teaching you.
18 It will be ·good [pleasant] to ·keep these things in mind [L guard them in your innermost being]
so that you ·are ready to repeat them [L have them ready on your lips].
19 I am teaching them to you now
so that you will put your trust in the Lord.
20 I have written ·thirty [or excellent] sayings for you,
which give knowledge and good advice.
21 I am teaching you true and reliable words
so that you can give true answers to anyone who ·asks [L sends you].
22 Do not ·abuse [L steal from] poor people because they are poor,
and do not ·take away the rights of [oppress] the needy in ·court [L the gate].
23 The Lord will ·defend them in court [accuse their accusers]
and will ·take the life of those who take away their rights [L press/squeeze the life out of those who press/squeeze them; Ex. 22:21–23; 23:6; Deut. 24:14–15].
24 Don’t make friends with ·quick-tempered people [people controlled by anger]
or ·spend time [associate] with those who have bad tempers.
25 If you do, you will ·be like them [learn their ways].
Then you will ·be in real danger [L get yourself trapped].
26 Don’t ·promise [L shake hands] to pay what someone else owes,
and don’t guarantee anyone’s loan.
27 If you cannot pay the loan,
·your own bed may [L why should your own bed…?] be taken right out from under you.
28 Don’t move an ·old stone that marks a border [an ancient boundary marker; Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Job 24:2; Hos. 5:10; C borders were marked by carved stones],
because those stones were set up by your ancestors.
29 Do you see people ·skilled [or diligent] in their work?
They will work for kings, not for ·ordinary [obscure] people.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.