Proverbs 22
1599 Geneva Bible
22 1 (A)A good name is to be chosen above great riches, and [a]loving favor is above silver and above gold.
2 (B)The rich and poor [b]meet together, the Lord is the maker of them all.
3 (C)A prudent man [c]seeth the plague, and hideth himself: but the foolish go on still, and are punished.
4 The reward of humility, and the fear of God is riches, and glory, and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: but he that regardeth his soul, will depart far from them.
6 Teach a child [d]in the trade of his way, and when he is old he shall not depart from it.
7 The rich ruleth the poor, and the borrower is servant to the man that lendeth.
8 He that soweth iniquity, shall reap affliction, and the [e]rod of his anger shall fail.
9 He that hath a good [f]eye, he shall be blessed: for he giveth of his bread unto the poor.
10 Cast out the scorner, and strife shall go out: so contention and reproach shall cease.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart for the grace of his lips, the [g]king shall be his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord preserve [h]knowledge: but he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
13 The slothful man saith, [i]A lion is without, I shall be slain in the street.
14 The mouth of strange women is as a deep pit: he with whom the Lord is angry, [j]shall fall therein.
15 Foolishness is bound [k]in the heart of a child: but the rod of correction shall drive it away from him.
16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase himself, and giveth unto the rich, shall surely come to poverty.
17 ¶ Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it shall be pleasant, if thou keep them in thy belly, and if they be directed together in thy lips.
19 That thy confidence may be in [l]the Lord, I have showed thee this day: thou therefore take heed.
20 Have not I written unto thee [m]three times in counsels and knowledge,
21 That I might show thee the assurance of the words of truth, to answer the words of truth to them that send to thee?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted [n]in judgment.
23 For the Lord (D)will defend their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoil them.
24 Make [o]no friendship with an angry man, neither go with the furious man,
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and receive destruction to thy soul.
26 Be not thou of them that [p]tough the hand, nor among them that are surety for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why causest thou that he should take thy bed from under thee?
28 Thou shalt not (E)remove the ancient bounds which thy fathers have made.
29 Thou seest that a diligent man in his business standeth before Kings, and standeth not before the base sort.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:1 Which cometh by well doing.
- Proverbs 22:2 Live together, and have need the one of the other.
- Proverbs 22:3 That is, the punishment, which is prepared for the wicked, and fleeth [not to] God for succor.
- Proverbs 22:6 Bring him up virtuously, and he shall so continue.
- Proverbs 22:8 His authority, whereby he did oppress others, shall be taken from him.
- Proverbs 22:9 He that is merciful and liberal.
- Proverbs 22:11 He showeth that princes should use their familiarity, whose conscience is good, and their talk wise and godly.
- Proverbs 22:12 Favor them that love knowledge.
- Proverbs 22:13 He derideth them that invent vain excuses, because they would not do their duty.
- Proverbs 22:14 So God punisheth one sin by another, when he suffereth the wicked to fall into the acquaintance of an harlot.
- Proverbs 22:15 He is naturally given unto it.
- Proverbs 22:19 He showeth what the end of wisdom is: to wit, to direct us to the Lord.
- Proverbs 22:20 That is, sundry times.
- Proverbs 22:22 Hebrew, in the gates.
- Proverbs 22:24 Have not to do with him that is not able to rule his affections: for he would hurt thee by his evil conversation.
- Proverbs 22:26 Which rashly put themselves in danger for others, as Prov. 6:2.
Proverbs 22
English Standard Version
22 (A)A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 (B)The rich and the poor meet together;
the Lord is (C)the Maker of them all.
3 (D)The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is (E)riches and honor and life.[a]
5 (F)Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
whoever (G)guards his soul will keep far from them.
6 (H)Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 (I)The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever (J)sows injustice will reap calamity,
and (K)the rod of his fury will fail.
9 (L)Whoever has a bountiful[b] eye will be blessed,
for he (M)shares his bread with the poor.
10 (N)Drive out a scoffer, (O)and strife will go out,
and (P)quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who (Q)loves purity of heart,
and whose (R)speech is gracious, (S)will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he (T)overthrows the words of the traitor.
13 (U)The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of (V)forbidden[c] women is (W)a deep pit;
(X)he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but (Y)the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
or gives to the rich, (Z)will only come to poverty.
Words of the Wise
17 (AA)Incline your ear, and hear (AB)the words of the wise,
(AC)and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20 Have I not written for you (AD)thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21 to (AE)make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22 (AF)Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or (AG)crush the afflicted at (AH)the gate,
23 for (AI)the Lord will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not one of those who (AJ)give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should (AK)your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient (AL)landmark
that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will (AM)stand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:4 Or The reward for humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and honor and life
- Proverbs 22:9 Hebrew good
- Proverbs 22:14 Hebrew strange
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
