Chapter 22

¹A good name is better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold. ²The rich and poor have met one another: the Lord is the maker of them both. ³The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss. ⁴The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life. ⁵Arms and swords are in the way of the perverse: but he that keepeth his own soul departeth far from them. ⁶It is a proverb: A young man according to his way, even when he is old he will not depart from it. ⁷The rich ruleth over the poor: and the borrower is servant to him that lendeth. ⁸He that soweth iniquity shall reap evils, and with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed. ⁹He that is inclined to mercy shall be blessed: for of his bread he hath given to the poor. He that maketh presents shall purchase victory and honour: but he carrieth away the souls of the receivers. ¹⁰Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall go out with him, and quarrels and reproaches shall cease. ¹¹He that loveth cleanness of heart, for the grace of his lips shall have the king for his friend. ¹²The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge: and the words of the unjust are overthrown. ¹³The slothful man saith: There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the midst of the streets. ¹⁴The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit: he whom the Lord is angry with, shall fall into it. ¹⁵Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction shall drive it away. ¹⁶He that oppresseth the poor, to increase his own riches, shall himself give to one that is richer, and shall be in need. ¹⁷Incline thy ear, and hear the words of the wise: and apply thy heart to my doctrine : ¹⁸Which shall be beautiful for thee, if thou keep it in thy bowels, and it shall flow in thy lips: ¹⁹That thy trust may be in the Lord, wherefore I have also shewn it to thee this day. ²⁰Behold I have described it to thee three manner of ways, in thoughts and knowledge : ²¹That I might shew thee the certainty, and the words of truth, to answer out of these to them that sent thee. ²²Do no violence to the poor, because he is poor: and do not oppress the needy in the gate: ²³Because the Lord will judge his cause, and will afflict them that have afflicted his soul. ²⁴Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man: ²⁵Lest perhaps thou learn his ways, and take scandal to thy soul. ²⁶Be not with them that fasten down their hands, and that offer themselves sureties for debts: ²⁷For if thou have not wherewith to restore, what cause is there, that he should take the covering from thy bed? ²⁸Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set. ²⁹Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.