Proverbios 22

1Vale más el buen nombre que grandes riquezas, y más que la plata y el oro, la buena estima.

2El rico y el pobre viven en mutua oposición; sin embargo, a entrambos los hizo Yahvé.

3El prudente ve venir el mal, y se precave, el necio pasa adelante y sufre el daño.

4Frutos de la humildad son: el temor de Dios, riqueza, honra y vida.

5Espinas y lazos hay en el camino del perverso; guarda su alma quien se aleja de ellos.

6Enseña al niño el camino que debe seguir, y llegado a la vejez no se apartará de él.

7El rico domina a los pobres, y el que toma prestado sirve al que le presta.

8Quien siembra iniquidad cosecha desdicha, y será quebrada la vara de su furor.

9El ojo compasivo será bendito, porque parte su pan con el pobre.

10Echa fuera al altivo, y se irá la discordia, cesarán las contiendas y las afrentas.

11Quien ama la pureza de corazón y tiene la gracia del bien hablar, es amigo del rey.

12Los ojos de Yahvé protegen a los sabios, pues Él desbarata los planes de los pérfidos.

13Dice el perezoso: “Un león anda por la calle; seré devorado en medio de la plaza.”

14Fosa profunda es la boca de la extraña; quien es objeto de la ira de Yahvé cae en ella.

15La necedad se pega al corazón del joven, mas la vara de corrección la arroja fuera.

16Quien oprime al pobre, lo enriquece; quien da al rico, lo empobrece.

17Inclina tu oído y escucha las palabras de los sabios; aplica tu corazón a mis enseñanzas;

18porque es cosa dulce conservarlas en tu corazón, y tenerlas siempre prontas en tus labios.

19Para que tu confianza se apoye en Yahvé, quiero hoy darte esta instrucción.

20¿No te he escrito cosas excelentes en forma de consejos y enseñanzas,

21para mostrarte la certeza de las palabras de verdad, a fin de que sepas dar claras respuestas a tus mandantes?

22No despojes al pobre, porque es pobre, ni oprimas en juicio al desvalido;

23pues Yahvé defenderá su causa y quitará la vida a los que lo despojan.

24No seas de aquellos que se obligan con aquel que no puede dominar su furor,

25no sea que aprendas sus caminos, y prepares un lazo para tu alma.

26No seas de aquellos que se obligan con apretón de manos, y por deudas ajenas prestan caución.

27Porque si no tienes con qué pagar, te quitarán la cama de debajo de tu cabeza.

28No trasplantes los hitos antiguos, los que plantaron tus padres.

29Mira al hombre hábil en su trabajo; ante los reyes estará y no quedará entre la plebe.

1[Melius est nomen bonum quam divitiæ multæ; super argentum et aurum gratia bona.

2Dives et pauper obviaverunt sibi: utriusque operator est Dominus.

3Callidus vidit malum, et abscondit se; innocens pertransiit, et afflictus est damno.

4Finis modestiæ timor Domini, divitiæ, et gloria, et vita.

5Arma et gladii in via perversi; custos autem animæ suæ longe recedit ab eis.

6Proverbium est: adolescens juxta viam suam; etiam cum senuerit, non recedet ab ea.

7Dives pauperibus imperat, et qui accipit mutuum servus est fœnerantis.

8Qui seminat iniquitatem metet mala, et virga iræ suæ consummabitur.

9Qui pronus est ad misericordiam benedicetur: de panibus enim suis dedit pauperi. Victoriam et honorem acquiret qui dat munera; animam autem aufert accipientium.

10Ejice derisorem, et exibit cum eo jurgium, cessabuntque causæ et contumeliæ.

11Qui diligit cordis munditiam, propter gratiam labiorum suorum habebit amicum regem.

12Oculi Domini custodiunt scientiam, et supplantantur verba iniqui.

13Dicit piger: Leo est foris; in medio platearum occidendus sum.

14Fovea profunda os alienæ: cui iratus est Dominus, incidet in eam.

15Stultitia colligata est in corde pueri, et virga disciplinæ fugabit eam.

16Qui calumniatur pauperem ut augeat divitias suas, dabit ipse ditiori, et egebit.]

17[Inclina aurem tuam, et audi verba sapientium: appone autem cor ad doctrinam meam,

18quæ pulchra erit tibi cum servaveris eam in ventre tuo, et redundabit in labiis tuis:

19ut sit in Domino fiducia tua, unde et ostendi eam tibi hodie.

20Ecce descripsi eam tibi tripliciter, in cogitationibus et scientia:

21ut ostenderem tibi firmitatem et eloquia veritatis, respondere ex his illis qui miserunt te.

22Non facias violentiam pauperi quia pauper est, neque conteras egenum in porta:

23quia judicabit Dominus causam ejus, et configet eos qui confixerunt animam ejus.

24Noli esse amicus homini iracundo, neque ambules cum viro furioso:

25ne forte discas semitas ejus, et sumas scandalum animæ tuæ.

26Noli esse cum his qui defigunt manus suas, et qui vades se offerunt pro debitis:

27si enim non habes unde restituas, quid causæ est ut tollat operimentum de cubili tuo?

28Ne transgrediaris terminos antiquos, quos posuerunt patres tui.

29Vidisti virum velocem in opere suo? coram regibus stabit, nec erit ante ignobiles.]

1A good name is better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold.

2The rich and poor have met one another: the Lord is the maker of them both.

3The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.

4The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life.

5Arms and swords are in the way of the perverse: but he that keepeth his own soul departeth far from them.

6It is a proverb: A young man according to his way, even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7The rich ruleth over the poor: and the borrower is servant to him that lendeth.

8He that soweth iniquity shall reap evils, and with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed.

9He that is inclined to mercy shall be blessed: for of his bread he hath given to the poor. He that maketh presents shall purchase victory and honour: but he carrieth away the souls of the receivers.

10Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall go out with him, and quarrels and reproaches shall cease.

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

12The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge: and the words of the unjust are overthrown.

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

14The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit: he whom the Lord is angry with, shall fall into it.

15Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction shall drive it away.

16He that oppresseth the poor, to increase his own riches, shall himself give to one that is richer, and shall be in need.

17Incline thy ear, and hear the words of the wise: and apply thy heart to my doctrine:

18Which shall be beautiful for thee, if thou keep it in thy bowels, and it shall flow in thy lips:

19That thy trust may be in the Lord, wherefore I have also shewn it to thee this day.

20Behold I have described it to thee three manner of ways, in thoughts and knowledge:

21That I might shew thee the certainty, and the words of truth, to answer out of these to them that sent thee.

22Do no violence to the poor, because he is poor: and do not oppress the needy in the gate:

23Because the Lord will judge his cause, and will afflict them that have afflicted his soul.

24Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man:

25Lest perhaps thou learn his ways, and take scandal to thy soul.

26Be not with them that fasten down their hands, and that offer themselves sureties for debts:

27For if thou have not wherewith to restore, what cause is there, that he should take the covering from thy bed?

28Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set.

29Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.