Proverbs 22

1If you have to choose a good name or lots of money, choose a good name. You should want people to think that you are great. That is better than silver or gold.

2Rich people and poor people meet together. The LORD created them all.

3A wise man sees the danger and he hides himself. But a man who does not think will walk immediately into danger and punishment.

4Do not think that you are important. And be afraid of the LORD. If you do those things, you will get many valuable things. And you will have a long life. And people will say that you are very good.

5Stay away from the paths of bad people. They are dark and dangerous.

6Teach children how they should live. They will remember it all their lives.

7People lend money. They rule over those who receive it. And rich people rule over poor people.

8A bad man who causes trouble for other people will cause trouble for himself. He will no longer have the power to rule over other people.

9Give some of your food to poor people. The LORD will bless you because you do.

10Send away a man who is too proud. Then there will be nothing to argue about. It will be the end of all quarrels and shame.

11Some men love to do what is right in front of the LORD. They speak well to everyone. They will have the king as a friend.

12The LORD watches over words that are true. And he does not forget the words of bad men. He does not let them become true.

13A lazy man stays in his house. He says, ‘There is a lion outside. It might kill me in the street.’

14The mouth of an adulteress is like a deep hole. The LORD is angry with those who fall into it.

15A child loves to do silly things. You must hit him when he does wrong things. If you do, he will learn to do right things.

16A man may take money from poor people because he hopes to become rich. Another man may give gifts to rich people because he hopes to become rich. But both those men will become poor.

17Listen. I will teach you what wise people have said. Study what they have taught.

18If you remember those things, you will be happy. Try to remember them and to repeat them.

19I want you to hope in the LORD. So, I will tell you now what they have taught.

20I have written down 30 proverbs for you. They will make you wise. They will give good ideas to you. And they will teach you what is true.

21Someone may send you to discover what is true. If he does, you should bring back the right answer.

22You are stronger than poor people. It is wrong to do cruel things to them. Sometimes, when they bring people to the rulers, those people do not have anybody to speak on their behalf.

23The LORD will speak on their behalf. A rich person may try to take everything that poor people have. If he does, the LORD will take away the life of that rich person.

24Do not be a friend to people who are very, very angry.

25You might become like them and you might always be an angry person.

26Do not promise to pay the money that someone else should have paid.

27If you are unable to pay, they will take away even your bed.

28Do not move the old stones that your fathers and their fathers put there. They show the border of your land.

29The king will give work to a man who works well. But he has to do better than most men.