Yahweh Is the Maker of All

¹A good name is to be chosen over great wealth,

Favor is better than silver and gold.

²The rich and the poor meet together in this —

Yahweh is the Maker of them all.

³A prudent man sees evil and hides,

But the simple pass on, and are punished.

⁴The reward of humility—the fear of Yahweh—[#22:4 Or reverence]

Is riches, glory, and life.

⁵Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;

He who keeps his soul will be far from them.

⁶Train up a child according to his way,[#22:6 Lit Dedicate; #22:6 Or in the way he should go , according to his own way]

Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

⁷The rich rules over the poor,

And the borrower is the slave of the lender.

⁸He who sows unrighteousness will reap iniquity,

And the rod of his fury will end.

⁹He who is generous will be blessed,[#22:9 Lit has a good eye]

For he gives from his food to the poor.

¹⁰Drive out the scoffer, and strife will go out,

Even contention and disgrace will cease.

¹¹He who loves purity of heart

And grace on his lips, the king is his friend.

¹²The eyes of Yahweh guard knowledge,

But He subverts the words of the treacherous one.

¹³The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside;

I will be killed in the streets!”

¹⁴The mouth of strange women is a deep pit;

He who is cursed of Yahweh will fall into it.

¹⁵Folly is bound up in the heart of a child;

The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.

¹⁶He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself[#22:16 Lit much]

Or who gives to the rich will only come to lack.

¹⁷¶Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,

And set your heart on my knowledge;

¹⁸For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,

That they may be established on your lips.

¹⁹So that your trust may be in Yahweh,

I have made you know today, even you.

²⁰Have I not written to you excellent things[#22:20 Lit thirty sayings]

Of counsels and knowledge,

²¹To make you know the veracity of the words of truth

That you may respond with the words of truth to him who sent you?

²²¶Do not rob the poor because he is poor,

And do not crush the afflicted at the gate;

²³For Yahweh will plead their case

And rob the soul of those who rob them.

²⁴¶Do not befriend a man of anger;

And do not come along with a man of great wrath,

²⁵Lest you learn his ways

And take on a snare against your soul.

²⁶¶Do not be among those who strike hands in pledge ,[#22:26 Lit palms]

Among those who become guarantors for debts.

²⁷If you have nothing with which to pay,

Why should he take your bed from under you?

²⁸¶Do not move the ancient boundary

Which your fathers made.

²⁹¶Do you see a man skilled in his work?

He will stand before kings;

He will not stand before obscure men.