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22 Gott mannorð er dýrmætara en mikill auður, vinsæld er betri en silfur og gull.

Ríkur og fátækur hittast, Drottinn skóp þá alla saman.

Vitur maður sér ógæfuna og felur sig, en einfeldningarnir halda áfram og fá að kenna á því.

Laun auðmýktar, ótta Drottins, eru auður, heiður og líf.

Þyrnar, snörur, eru á vegi hins undirförula, sá sem varðveitir líf sitt, kemur ekki nærri þeim.

Fræð þú sveininn um veginn, sem hann á að halda, og á gamals aldri mun hann ekki af honum víkja.

Ríkur maður drottnar yfir fátækum, og lánþeginn verður þræll lánsalans.

Sá sem ranglæti sáir, uppsker óhamingju, og sproti heiftar hans verður að engu.

Sá sem er góðgjarn, verður blessaður, því að hann gefur hinum fátæka af brauði sínu.

10 Rek þú spottarann burt, þá fer deilan burt, og þá linnir þrætu og smán.

11 Drottinn elskar hjartahreinan, konungurinn er vinur þess, sem hefir yndisþokka á vörum sér.

12 Augu Drottins varðveita þekkinguna, en orðum svikarans kollvarpar hann.

13 Letinginn segir: "Ljón er úti fyrir, ég kynni að verða drepinn úti á götunni."

14 Djúp gröf er munnur léttúðarkvenna, sá sem verður fyrir reiði Drottins, fellur í hana.

15 Ef fíflska situr föst í hjarta sveinsins, þá mun vöndur agans koma henni burt þaðan.

16 Að kúga fátækan eykur efni hans, að gefa ríkum manni verður til þess eins að gjöra hann snauðan.

17 Hneig eyra þitt og heyr orð hinna vitru, og snú athygli þinni að kenning minni,

18 því að það er fagurt, ef þú geymir þau í brjósti þér, ef þau eru öll til taks á vörum þínum.

19 Til þess að traust þitt sé á Drottni, fræði ég þig í dag, já þig.

20 Vissulega skrifa ég kjarnyrði handa þér, með heilræðum og fræðslu,

21 til þess að ég kunngjöri þér sannleika, áreiðanleg orð, svo að þú flytjir þeim áreiðanleg orð, er senda þig.

22 Ræn eigi hinn lítilmótlega, af því að hann er lítilmótlegur, og knosa eigi hinn volaða í borgarhliðinu,

23 því að Drottinn mun flytja mál þeirra og ræna þá lífinu, er þá ræna.

24 Legg eigi lag þitt við reiðigjarnan mann og haf eigi umgengni við fauta,

25 til þess að þú venjist eigi á háttsemi hans og sækir snöru fyrir líf þitt.

26 Ver þú ekki meðal þeirra, er ganga til handsala, meðal þeirra, er ganga í ábyrgð fyrir skuldum,

27 því þegar þú ekkert hefir að borga með, viltu þá láta taka sængina undan þér?

28 Fær þú eigi úr stað hin fornu landamerki, þau er feður þínir hafa sett.

29 Sjáir þú mann vel færan í verki sínu, hann getur boðið konungum þjónustu sína, eigi mun hann bjóða sig ótignum mönnum.

22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
    to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.(A)

Rich and poor have this in common:
    The Lord is the Maker of them all.(B)

The prudent see danger and take refuge,(C)
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.(D)

Humility is the fear of the Lord;
    its wages are riches and honor(E) and life.(F)

In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,(G)
    but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

Start(H) children off on the way they should go,(I)
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(J)

The rich rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is slave to the lender.

Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,(K)
    and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.(L)

The generous will themselves be blessed,(M)
    for they share their food with the poor.(N)

10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
    quarrels and insults are ended.(O)

11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
    will have the king for a friend.(P)

12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

13 The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!(Q)
    I’ll be killed in the public square!”

14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;(R)
    a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.(S)

15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.(T)

16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
    and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

Thirty Sayings of the Wise

Saying 1

17 Pay attention(U) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(V)
    apply your heart to what I teach,(W)
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,(X)
    so that you bring back truthful reports
    to those you serve?

Saying 2

22 Do not exploit the poor(Y) because they are poor
    and do not crush the needy in court,(Z)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(AA)
    and will exact life for life.(AB)

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.(AC)

Saying 4

26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge(AD)
    or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
    your very bed will be snatched from under you.(AE)

Saying 5

28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(AF)
    set up by your ancestors.

Saying 6

29 Do you see someone skilled(AG) in their work?
    They will serve(AH) before kings;(AI)
    they will not serve before officials of low rank.

22 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all.

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

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.