Proverbs 22 (NIV)
1A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
2Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.
3A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
4Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.
5In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.
6Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
7The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
8He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
9A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
10Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended.
11He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.
12The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
13The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!" or, "I will be murdered in the streets!"
14The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the Lord 's wrath will fall into it.
15Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
16He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich-both come to poverty.
Sayings of the Wise
17Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach,
18for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.
19So that your trust may be in the Lord , I teach you today, even you.
20Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21teaching you true and reliable words, so that you can give sound answers to him who sent you?
30 Sayings of the Wise Proverbs 22:22-24:22 (NIV)
1. Don’t be a bully! Proverbs 22:22-23
22Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court,
23for the Lord will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them.
2. Choose your friends carefully. Proverbs 22:24-25
24Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered,
25or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.
3. Don’t make promises that you cannot keep. Proverbs 22:26-27
26Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts;
27if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.
4. Don’t steal what belongs to others. Proverbs 22:28
28Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.
5. Work at becoming skilled in your passion. Proverbs 22:29
29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.
6. Learn to restrain yourself. Proverbs 23:1-3
1When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you,
2and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.
3Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
7. Pursue wealth for the right reasons. Proverbs 23:4-5
4Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.
5Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
8. Avoid taking gifts that have strings. Proverbs 23:6-8
6Do not eat the food of a stingy man, do not crave his delicacies;
7for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.
9. Be careful with whom you share your valuable thoughts. Proverbs 23:9
9Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.
10. Have a fearful respect of civil law. Proverbs 23:10-11
10Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.
11. Always seek opportunities to learn and grow. Proverbs 23:12
12Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
12. Model disciplined behaviors to those whom you love. Proverbs 23:13-14
13Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
14Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.
13. Wisdom through the mouth is wisdom in the heart and vice versa. Proverbs 23:15-16
15My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad;
16my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
14. Don’t envy people their success. Proverbs 23:17-18
17Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord .
18There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
15. Find and follow your own path. Avoid bad influence people! Proverbs 23:19-21
19Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.
20Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat,
21for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
16. Respect your father and mother. Learning and growth are worth the price. They bring joy to those that you love and those who love you. Proverbs 23:22-25
22Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding.
24The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.
25May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!
17. Be aware of your vulnerabilities and susceptibilities. Do not live in delusion and denial. Proverbs 23:26-28
26My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways,
27for a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28Like a bandit she lies in wait, and multiplies the unfaithful among men.
18. Don’t blame others for consequences that arise as a result of your bad choices. Don’t keep enjoying the bad choices even when you know is wrong. Admit culpability and seek help. Proverbs 23:29-35
29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!
32In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.
33Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things.
34You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.
35"They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?"
19. Jealousy leads to a dead end. Proverbs 24:1-2
1Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company;
2for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.
20. Life is not an accident. It is a deliberate exercise in creation. Intentionality is therefore required. Nothing desired is gained by coincidence. Proverbs 24:3-4
3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;
4through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
21. Invest the time to find trustworthy people who can encourage and advise you; people who are going in the same direction of learning and growth. Proverbs 24:5-6
5A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength;
6for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.
22. Do not be afraid to admit ignorance. Silence is better than the absence of vocal restraint. Proverbs 24:7
7Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say.
23. A schemer intentionally undermines others. A mocker jokingly denigrates values for the sake of amusement. Both labels are detested by others and difficult to remove. Be neither. Proverbs 24:8-9
8He who plots evil will be known as a schemer.
9The schemes of folly are sin, and men detest a mocker.
24. Life is a series of challenges that present opportunities for growth. You don’t move to the next level until learning from the previous level is fully internalized and applied. Do not give up when you face difficulties. Proverbs 24:10
10If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!
25. Do not be pretend to be ignorant. Be an advocate, do something to save lives. Proverbs 24:11-12
11Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
12If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?
26. Being open to learning and growth establishes a way that helps to navigate life for a better future. Proverbs 24:13-14
13Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
14Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
27. Resilience is a characteristic of those who believe in God despite many setbacks. Calamity befalls all others. Proverbs 24:15-16
15Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man's house, do not raid his dwelling place;
16for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.
28. Don’t take comfort when calamity befalls people with whom you dislike. Proverbs 24:17-18
17Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,
18or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.
29. Do not worry about evil or envy others who are wicked. For we have eternity with hope. Proverbs 24:19-20
19Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked,
20for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
30. Don’t allow yourself to be influenced into divine disobedience. The consequences can be disastrous. Proverbs 24:21-22
21Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious,
22for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who knows what calamities they can bring? Further Sayings of the Wise
