Proverb 22

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

Having a good name is better than material wealth, and having God's favor more than anything.

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

God brings rich and poor together:  Even if we seem to separate ourselves thinking we are all rich or we are all poor in one place, both are present and God knows who's who.

The rich and poor have this in common- God made them both.

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

A prudent man looks before he leaps: a poor man cast caution to the wind.

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

Obeying God leads to the good life. 

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

Anyone who does not fear God's Words will have a painful life:  anyone who loves God's Word will live a life far above the wicked.

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

Train a child with God's Word: the Word of God is the most powerful thing to have and the child will know how to make decisions all the time.

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

Truth: rich people rule the poor, people who borrow from others must be ruled by the lender. 

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

If you treat people wrong, you waste time: and whatever you use to hurt others won't work.

9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Generous people are blessed: because they help the poor.

10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

One bad apple can spoil the whole.  Remove the dead and the rest will live.

11 He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

The king loves an honest person.

12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

God keeps knowledge and he will not let the sinner get by.

13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

Lazy people make excuses for not working.

14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein.

Women without God are deadly.

15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.  

Bad behavior is in a child's heart: but he can be corrected using the rod and he will think twice before breaking rules.

16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

Do not take advantage of poor people to make your pocket thicker and if the poor give to the rich, you will hate you did it.

17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

Listen closely and do what I say, says the Lord.

18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

The Words of God are to be kept inside of your heart, and when you speak them they will be becoming of you.

19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

If you obey God's Word, you will learn to trust God; do everything I spoke to you every day.  Do what I say every day, says the Lord.

20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

God asks the question

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:

Do not exploit the poor: do not crush the needy in court.

23 For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

The Lord will defend the poor and those who exploited them will be exploited.

24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

Do not associate with angry people: do not do business with a man that cannot control his temper.

25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

If you do, you may learn to be like him and suffer needlessly.

26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

Don't be a co-signer or guarantee loans for someone else.

27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

Why should you lose what you own because you guaranteed a debt for somebody else?

28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.  

Do not take what is not yours.

29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

Anyone who takes care of business the way God instructs will stand before leaders: He will never answer to mean men.