Proverbs 22

King James Version (KJV) · English

1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. 2 The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all. 3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. 4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life. 5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. 6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. 8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. 9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. 10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. 11 He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. 12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor. 13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. 14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. 15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. 16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. 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.

Commentary — not Bible text

Proverbs 22:1

Pr 22:1-29.

1. A good name--(Job 30:8, Hebrew); "good" is supplied here from Ec 7:1.

loving favour--kind regard, that is, of the wise and good.

Proverbs 22:2

2. Before God all are on the same footing (Pr 14:31; 17:5).

Proverbs 22:3

3. are punished--that is, for their temerity; for the evil is not necessarily punitive, as the prudent might otherwise be its objects.

Proverbs 22:4

4. humility and the fear of the Lord--are in apposition; one produces the other. On the results, compare Pr 3:16; 8:18.

Proverbs 22:5

5. he that ... them--Those who properly watch over their own souls are thus preserved from the dangers which attend the way of perverse men (Pr 16:17).

Proverbs 22:6

6. Train--initiate, or early instruct.

the way--literally, "his way," that selected for him in which he should go; for early training secures habitual walking in it.

Proverbs 22:7

7. The influence of wealth sets aside moral distinctions is implied, and, of course, disapproved (compare Pr 19:6; 21:14, &c.).

Proverbs 22:9

9. a bountiful eye--that is, a beneficent disposition.

for he giveth ... poor--His acts prove it.

Proverbs 22:10

10. Cast out--or drive away. Scorners foster strife by taunts and revilings.

Proverbs 22:11

11. (Compare Margin).

pureness of heart--and gentle, kind words win favor, even from kings.

Proverbs 22:12

12. preserve--or guard.

knowledge--its principles and possessors.

overthroweth--utterly confounds and destroys the wicked.

Proverbs 22:13

13. Frivolous excuses satisfy the indolent man's conscience.

Proverbs 22:14

14. The mouth--or flattering speeches (Pr 5:3; 7:5) ensnare man, as pits, beasts. God makes their own sin their punishment.

Proverbs 22:15

15. is bound--or firmly fixed. Chastisement deters from crime and so leads to reformation of principle.

Proverbs 22:16

16. These two vices pertain to the same selfish feeling. Both are deservedly odious to God and incur punishment.

Proverbs 22:17

17. Here begins another division of the book, marked by those encouragements to the pursuit of wisdom, which are found in the earlier chapters. It will be observed that at Pr 22:22-24:12, the proverbs are generally expressed in two verses instead of one (see Introduction).

Proverbs 22:18

18. These lessons must be laid up in the mind, and

fitted--or better, "fixed" in the lips so as to be ever ready.

Proverbs 22:19

19. That ... Lord--This is the design of the instruction.

Proverbs 22:20

20. excellent things--or probably of former times.

counsels and knowledge--both advice and instruction.

Proverbs 22:21

21. Specially he desires to secure accuracy, so that his pupil may teach others.

Proverbs 22:22-23

22-23. Here follow ten precepts of two verses each. Though men fail to defend the poor, God will (Pr 17:5; Psa 12:5).

in the gate--place of public gathering (Job 5:4; Psa 69:12).

Proverbs 22:24-25

24-25. (Compare Pr 2:12-15; 4:14).

Proverbs 22:29

29. Success rewards diligence (Pr 10:4; 21:5).

Tip: tap a verse number to see the commentary for that verse.