Proverbs 22

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Fame is preferable to great wealth, favour, to silver and gold.	1 A good name is more desirable than great riches, and high esteem, than gold and silver.
2 Rich and poor rub shoulders, Yahweh has made them both.	2 Rich and poor have a common bond: the LORD is the maker of them all.
3 The discreet sees danger and takes shelter, simpletons go ahead and pay the penalty.	3 The shrewd man perceives evil and hides, while simpletons continue on and suffer the penalty.
4 The reward of humility is the fear of Yahweh, and riches, honour and life.	4 The reward of humility and fear of the LORD is riches, honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares line the path of the wilful, whoever values life will stay at a distance.	5 Thorns and snares are on the path of the crooked; he who would safeguard his life will shun them.
6 Give a lad a training suitable to his character and, even when old, he wil not go back on it.	6 Train a boy in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not swerve from it.
7 The rich lords it over the poor, the borrower is the lender's slave.	7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever sows injustice reaps disaster, and the rod of such anger wil disappear.	8 He who sows iniquity reaps calamity, and the rod destroys his labors.
9 A kindly eye wil earn a blessing, such a person shares out food with the poor.	9 The kindly man will be blessed, for he gives of his sustenance to the poor.
10 Expel the mocker and strife goes too, law-suits and dislike die down.	10 Expel the arrogant man and discord goes out; strife and insult cease.
11 Whoever loves the pure of heart and is gracious of speech has the king for a friend.	11 The LORD loves the pure of heart; the man of winning speech has the king for his friend.
12 Yahweh's eyes protect knowledge, but he confounds deceitful speeches.	12 The eyes of the LORD safeguard knowledge, but he defeats the projects of the faithless.
13 'There is a lion outside,' says the idler, 'I shal be kil ed in the street!'	13 The sluggard says, "A lion is outside; in the streets I might be slain."
14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit, into it fal s the man whom Yahweh rebukes.	14 The mouth of the adulteress is a deep pit; he with whom the LORD is angry will fall into it.
15 Fol y is anchored in the heart of a youth, the whip of instruction wil rid him of it.	15 Folly is close to the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
16 Harsh treatment enriches the poor, but a gift impoverishes the rich.	16 He who oppresses the poor to enrich himself will yield up his gains to the rich as sheer loss.
17 Give ear, listen to the sayings of the sages, and apply your heart to what I know,	17 The sayings of the wise: Incline your ear, and hear my words, and apply your heart to my doctrine;
18 for it wil be a delight to keep them deep within you to have them al ready on your lips.	18 For it will be well if you keep them in your bosom, if they all are ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in Yahweh, it is you whom I wish to instruct today.	19 That your trust may be in the LORD, I make known to you the words of Amen-em-Ope.
20 Have I not written for you thirty chapters of advice and knowledge,	20 Have I not written for you the "Thirty," with counsels and knowledge,
21 to make you know the certainty of true sayings, so that you can return with sound answers to thosewho sent you?	21 To teach you truly how to give a dependable report to one who sends you?
22 Do not despoil the weak, for he is weak, and do not oppress the poor at the gate,	22 Injure not the poor because they are poor, nor crush the needy at the gate;
23 for Yahweh takes up their cause, and extorts the life of their extortioners.	23 For the LORD will defend their cause, and will plunder the lives of those who plunder them.
24 Do not make friends with one who gives way to anger, make no one quick-tempered a companion ofyours,	24 Be not friendly with a hotheaded man, nor the companion of a wrathful man,
25 for fear you learn such behaviour and in it find a snare for yourself.	25 Lest you learn his ways, and get yourself into a snare.
26 Do not be one of those who go guarantor, who go surety for debts:	26 Be not one of those who give their hand in pledge, of those who become surety for debts;
27 if you have no means of paying your bed wil be taken from under you.	27 For if you have not the means to pay, your bed will be taken from under you.
28 Do not displace the ancient boundary-stone set by your ancestors.	28 Remove not the ancient landmark which your fathers set up.
29 You see someone alert at his business? His aim wil be to serve kings; not for him the service of theobscure.	29 You see a man skilled at his work? He will stand in the presence of kings; he will not stand in the presence of obscure men.