Rich and poor people are the same to the Lord
1It is better to have a good name
that people respect than to be rich.
It is better to be friendly
than to have silver and gold.
2Rich and poor people
are the same to the Lord.
He has made them all.
3Wise people see
when trouble is coming and they hide
but fools walk straight into trouble
and they suffer.
4The Lord rewards people
who are humble and who respect Him.
He gives them money,
honour and a long and happy life.
5There are thorns and traps
on the way of sinners, but
anyone who wants to live as God says
does not go on that sinful way.
6If you teach a child how to live in the right way,
he will keep on doing good things
even when he is old.
7Rich people rule over poor people
and someone who has borrowed money
from you becomes your slave.
8Someone who does bad things
to other people will suffer.
God will punish him because
he thinks he can do what he wants.
9The Lord will bless people
who are good to other people
and who give food to poor people.
10You must chase away
a person who laughs at wisdom,
and then people will stop fighting
because he can no longer
say bad things to them.
11Someone who is honest and friendly
will have the king as his friend.
12The Lord protects everyone
who has knowledge,
but He shows that the words
of unfaithful people are worthless.
13A lazy person says:
‘There is a lion outside.
It will catch me if I go out to work.’
14If a bad and unfaithful woman
invites you to go to her,
it is like a trap,
and if the Lord is angry with you,
you will fall into that trap.
15Children do foolish things,
but if you punish them,
you can change them
to turn away from doing wrong.
16Someone who oppresses
poor people to get rich,
or who gives gifts to rich people,
will become poor himself.
Words of wise people
17You must listen carefully
to what wise people say,
and think about the wise things that I tell you
18because it is good to remember them
so that you can tell them to someone else.
19That is why I teach
these things to you today,
so that you can trust in the Lord
and know that He does
what He has promised.
20I have written down 30 proverbs
for you that are full of knowledge and advice.
21This will help you to know
what is right and true,
so that you can give good answers
to people who ask you.
22Don't ever take something
from a poor man because he is poor
and don't oppress someone
who can not help himself in court
23because the Lord Himself
will fight for them.
He will help them and take the lives
of the people who oppress them.
24Don't be friends with someone
who becomes angry quickly,
and don't go with someone
who is not patient,
25because you can become like him
and then you will be like a bird in a trap.
26Don't promise to pay the debt
of someone else or say you will pay
what he owes other people.
27If you can not pay them,
they will take away even your bed.
28Don't change the borders
between your land
and the land of someone else.
It was your forefathers who decided
where those borders should be.
29If you see a worker
or an artisan who is clever,
you can be sure that he
will work for the king,
not for unimportant people.
