Chapter 22

  A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold -- good grace.  

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  Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all [is] Jehovah.  

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  The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.  

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  The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.  

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  Thorns -- snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.  

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  Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it.  

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  The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.  

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  Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.  

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  The good of eye -- he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.  

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  Cast out a scorner -- and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.  

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  Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend.  

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  The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.  

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  The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'  

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  A deep pit [is] the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.  

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  Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.  

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  He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich -- only to want.  

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  Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,  

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  For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips.  

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  That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.  

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  Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?  

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  To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.  

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  Rob not the poor because he [is] poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.  

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  For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.  

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  Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,  

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  Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.  

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  Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.  

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  If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?  

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  Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.  

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  Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!  

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