Proverbs 22:2-14

²There is one thing that is true about both rich people and poor people: Yahweh is the one who created all of them.

³Those who have good sense realize that there is something dangerous ahead, and they avoid it; those who do not have good sense just keep going and later they will suffer because of doing that.

⁴The reward that Yahweh gives to those who are humble and who revere him is that he causes them to be rich and honored and to live for a long time.

⁵Because of the things that wicked people do, they have difficulties/troubles that will be like thorns and traps on the roads that they walk on MET; people who are careful/cautious will be able to stay away from those difficulties.

⁶If you train/teach children to do what is right, all during their life they will act/behave in that manner.

⁷Rich people rule over poor people harshly, and those who borrow money become like slaves MET of the people who lend money to them.

⁸If you plant corn or rice, corn or rice will grow; similarly, if you act unjustly, you will have disasters MET; and if you try to harm/oppress people because you are angry with them, you will not be able to harm them.

⁹God will bless those who are generous IDM, those who give some of their food to poor people.

¹⁰If you get rid of those who make fun of everything that is good, there will no more arguing or quarreling or insulting other people.

¹¹If you always act sincerely IDM and always speak kindly, the king will be your friend.

¹²Yahweh SYN ◄watches over/takes care of► those who have good understanding/sense, but he ruins the plans/affairs of those who always try to deceive others.

¹³Lazy people remain in their houses; they say, “A lion might attack me if I go out into the street to go to work!”

¹⁴What ◄wives who commit adultery/immoral women► say to men MTY is like a deep pit MET into which those men fall; those with whom Yahweh is angry will fall into that pit.