What does Proverbs Chapter 22 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Opening sayings preserve their words and attribution. Images and reported speech remain distinct from added interpretation. Future and conditional assertions retain their scope in the closing sayings.

Chapter breakdown

Proverbs 22 prefers good name to riches and favor above silver/gold. Rich/poor met, Lord made both. Prudent saw evil and hid, simple passed and lost. Humility fruit is Lord fear, riches/glory/life. Perverse way has arms/swords, soul keeper departs. The proverb says young man according to way will not depart when old, without importing another edition’s training command. Rich rules poor, borrower lender’s servant. Iniquity sower shall reap evils and anger rod consume. Merciful bread-giver shall be blessed; present maker purchases victory/honor but carries receiver souls away.

Cast scoffer out, contention/quarrels/reproaches shall cease. Heart cleanness lover shall have king friend by gracious lips. Lord’s eyes preserve knowledge, unjust words overthrow. Slothful says lion outside and street killing; no witnessed lion or stated work itinerary. Strange-woman mouth deep pit, Lord-anger subject shall fall. Child heart folly and correction rod shall drive it out. Poor oppressor seeking riches shall give richer one and lack.

Hear wise words and apply heart to doctrine, beautiful if kept in bowels and flowing lips, for trust in Lord shown today. Speaker described three manners in thoughts/knowledge for certainty and truthful answers to senders; thirty sayings not substituted. No poor violence or needy gate oppression: Lord will judge cause and afflict afflicters. Avoid angry/furious friendship lest perhaps learning ways and soul scandal. Avoid hand-fastening debt sureties; if no restoration means, why take bed covering? Covering is not whole bed. Do not pass ancient father-set bounds. Swift worker shall stand before kings rather than obscure. Future teachings are not achieved lifelong formation or a new free-will doctrine.

The story inside

Opening: Opening sayings preserve their words and attribution. Development: Images and reported speech remain distinct from added interpretation. Conclusion: Future and conditional assertions retain their scope in the closing sayings.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Opening sayings preserve their words and attribution.
2
Images and reported speech remain distinct from added interpretation.
3
Future and conditional assertions retain their scope in the closing sayings.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 69110–69128
Proverbs Chapter 22 22:1. A good name is better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold. 22:2. The rich and poor have met one another: the Lord is the maker of them both. 22:3. The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss. 22:4. The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life. 22:5. Arms and swords are in the way of the perverse: but he that keepeth his own soul, departeth far from them. 22:6. It is a proverb: A young man according to his way, even when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Lines 69145–69156
22:12. The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge: and the words of the unjust are overthrown. 22:13. The slothful man saith: There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the midst of the streets. 22:14. The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit: he whom the Lord is angry with, shall fall into it. 22:15. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction shall drive it away.
Lines 69176–69198
22:22. Do no violence to the poor, because he is poor: and do not oppress the needy in the gate: 22:23. Because the Lord will judge his cause: and will afflict them that have afflicted his soul. 22:24. Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man: 22:25. Lest perhaps thou learn his ways, and take scandal to thy soul. 22:26. Be not with them that fasten down their hands, and that offer themselves sureties for debts: 22:27. For if thou have not wherewith to restore, what cause is there that he should take the covering from thy bed? 22:28. Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set. 22:29. Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.