Proverbs 22:17-29
English Standard Version
Words of the Wise
17 (A)Incline your ear, and hear (B)the words of the wise,
(C)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 (D)thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21 to (E)make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22 (F)Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or (G)crush the afflicted at (H)the gate,
23 for (I)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 (J)give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should (K)your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient (L)landmark
that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will (M)stand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.
Proverbs 22:17-29
New International Version
Thirty Sayings of the Wise
Saying 1
17 Pay attention(A) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(B)
apply your heart to what I teach,(C)
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,(D)
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve?
Saying 2
22 Do not exploit the poor(E) because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,(F)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(G)
and will exact life for life.(H)
Saying 3
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared.(I)
Saying 4
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(J)
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.(K)
Saying 5
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(L)
set up by your ancestors.
Saying 6
Proverbs 22:17-29
King James Version
17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
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