Proverbs 22

The Proverbs of Solomon

1 p A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 q The rich and the poor meet together;
the Lord is r the maker of them all.
3 s 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 t riches and honor and life. 1
5 u Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
whoever v guards his soul will keep far from them.
6 w Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 x The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever y sows injustice will reap calamity,
and z the rod of his fury will fail.
9 a Whoever has a bountiful 2 eye will be blessed,
for he b shares his bread with the poor.
10 c Drive out a scoffer, d and strife will go out,
and e quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who f loves purity of heart,
and whose g speech is gracious, h will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he i overthrows the words of the traitor.
13 j The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!"
14 The mouth of k forbidden 3 women is l a deep pit;
m he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but n the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
or gives to the rich, o will only come to poverty.

Words of the Wise

17 p Incline your ear, and hear q the words of the wise,
r 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 s thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21 to t make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

22 u Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or v crush the afflicted at w the gate,
23 for x 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 y give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should z your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient a landmark
that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will b stand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.

  1. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 7:1
    A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth.
  2. Cross References
    Proverbs 29:13
    The poor man and the oppressor meet together; the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
  3. Cross References
    Proverbs 14:31
    Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
    Job 31:15
    Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?
  4. Cross References
    Proverbs 27:12
    The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.
    Proverbs 14:16
    One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.
  5. Cross References
    Proverbs 21:20 - 21
    Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.
  6. Cross References
    Proverbs 15:19
    The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.
  7. Cross References
    Proverbs 21:23
    Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
    1 John 5:18
    We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
  8. Cross References
    Ephesians 6:4
    Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
    2 Timothy 3:15
    And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
  9. Cross References
    James 2:6
    But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
  10. Cross References
    Job 4:8
    As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
    Hosea 10:13
    You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors.
  11. Cross References
    Isaiah 14:6
    That struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution.
    Isaiah 30:31
    The Assyrians will be terror-stricken at the voice of the Lord, when he strikes with his rod.
  12. Cross References
    Proverbs 19:17
    Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
    2 Corinthians 9:6
    The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
  13. Cross References
    Proverbs 19:17
    Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
    Luke 14:13 - 14
    But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 21:9 - 10
    But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.
  15. Cross References
    Proverbs 26:20
    For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
  16. Cross References
    Proverbs 26:20
    For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
  17. Cross References
    Proverbs 16:13
    Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.
    Psalms 101:6
    I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.
  18. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 10:12
    The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him.
  19. Cross References
    Proverbs 14:35
    A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
  20. Cross References
    Proverbs 21:12
    The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked; he throws the wicked down to ruin.
    Proverbs 11:3
    The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
  21. Cross References
    Proverbs 26:13
    The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!
  22. Cross References
    Proverbs 2:16
    So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.
  23. Cross References
    Proverbs 23:27
    For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well.
  24. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 7:26
    And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.
  25. Cross References
    Proverbs 13:24
    Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
  26. Cross References
    Proverbs 28:22
    A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
  27. Cross References
    Proverbs 5:1
    My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding.
  28. Cross References
    Proverbs 1:6
    To understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.
    Proverbs 24:23
    These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.
  29. Cross References
    Proverbs 23:12
    Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.
  30. Cross References
    Proverbs 8:6
    Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right.
  31. Cross References
    Luke 1:3 - 4
    It seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus.
  32. Cross References
    Exodus 23:6
    You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit.
    Zechariah 7:10
    Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.
    Malachi 3:5
    Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
  33. Cross References
    Job 5:4
    His children are far from safety; they are crushed in the gate, and there is no one to deliver them.
  34. Cross References
    Job 31:21
    If I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate.
  35. Cross References
    Proverbs 23:11
    For their Redeemer is strong; he will plead the...
    1 Samuel 25:39
    When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, ...
    Psalms 12:5
    "Because the poor are plundered, because the ne...
    Psalms 35:10
    All my bones shall say, "O Lord, who is like yo...
    Psalms 68:5
    Father of the fatherless and protector of widow...
    Psalms 140:12
    I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of...
    Jeremiah 51:36
    Therefore thus says the Lord : "Behold, I will ...
  36. Cross References
    Job 17:3
    Lay down a pledge for me with yourself; who is there who will put up security for me?
  37. Cross References
    Proverbs 20:16
    Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.
    Exodus 22:26
    If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down.
  38. Cross References
    Proverbs 23:10
    Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless.
    Deuteronomy 19:14
    You shall not move your neighbor's landmark, which the men of old have set, in the inheritance that you will hold in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.
    Deuteronomy 27:17
    "'Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor's landmark.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'
    Job 24:2
    Some move landmarks; they seize flocks and pasture them.
    Hosea 5:10
    The princes of Judah have become like those who move the landmark; upon them I will pour out my wrath like water.
  39. Cross References
    1 Kings 10:8
    Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!
    Genesis 41:46
    Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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