22 A ⌊reputation⌋a is to be chosen ⌊rather than⌋b great riches;

⌊favor is better than silver and gold⌋.c

2 Rich and poor have much in common;

Yahweh is the maker of all of them.

3 The clever sees danger and hides,

but the simple go on and suffer.

4 The reward of humility is the fear of Yahweh—

wealth and honor and life.

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

he who guards himselfd will keep away from them.

6 Train the child ⌊concerning his way⌋;e

even when he is old, he will not stray from it.

7 The rich will rule over the poor,

and the borrower is a slave of ⌊the lender⌋.f

8 He who sows injustice will reap calamity,

and the rod of his anger will fail.

9 He who ⌊is generous⌋g will be blessed,

for he gives to the poor from his own bread.

10 Drive out a scoffer and strife will go out;

quarrel and abuse will cease.

11 He who loves purity of heart

and has ⌊gracious speech⌋,h his friend is the king.

12 The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge,

but he will overthrow the words of the faithless.

13 A lazy person says “A lion in the street!

In the middle of the highway, I shall be killed!”

14 A deep pit is the mouth of an ⌊adulteress⌋,i

he with whom Yahweh is angry will fall there.

15 Folly is bound up in the heartj of a boy;k

the rod of discipline will drive itl from him.

16 He who oppresses the poor in order to enrich himself,

or gives to the rich, ⌊will come to poverty⌋.m

Words of the Wise

17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise;

you shall apply your heartn to my teaching.

18 For it is pleasant if you guard them ⌊within you⌋;o

together they will be ready upon your lips.

19 In order for your trust to be in Yahweh,

I have made them known to you ⌊today⌋p—evenq you.

20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings

with admonitions and knowledge?

21 In order to show you what is right—sayings of truth—

in order to return a true saying to him who sent you.

22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor,

and do not crush the afflicted at the gate;

23 For Yahweh will plead their case

and despoil those who despoil them of life.r

24 Do not befriend an owners of ⌊anger⌋,t

and with a man of wrath you shall not associate;

25 lest you learn his way

and become entangled in a snare to yourself.u

26 Do not be with those who ⌊give a pledge⌋v

⌊by becoming⌋w surety.

27 If there is nothing for you to pay,x

why will he take your bed from under you?

28 Do not remove an ancient boundary marker

which your ancestorsy made.

29 A man who is skillful in his work, you shall see:

before kings, he will serve;

he will not serve before the commoners.