24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. 27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, [1] which thy fathers have set.
29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [2] men.
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, 25 or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.
26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; 27 if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors.
29 Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, 25 lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts. 27 If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
24 Don't hang out with angry people; don't keep company with hotheads. 25 Bad temper is contagious - don't get infected.
26 Don't gamble on the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, hocking your house against a lucky chance. 27 The time will come when you have to pay up; you'll be left with nothing but the shirt on your back.
28 Don't stealthily move back the boundary lines staked out long ago by your ancestors.
29 Observe people who are good at their work - skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don't take a back seat to anyone.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, 25 Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.
26 Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; 27 If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?
28 Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.
24 Don't befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, 25 or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.
26 Don't agree to guarantee another person's debt or put up security for someone else. 27 If you can't pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you.
28 Don't cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by previous generations.
29 Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Proverbs 22:24-45
Commentary on Proverbs 22:24-25
(Read Proverbs 22:24-25)
Our corrupt hearts have so much tinder in them, that it is dangerous to have to do with those that throw about the sparks of their passion.
Commentary on Proverbs 22:26-27
(Read Proverbs 22:26-27)
Every man ought to be just to himself, and his family; those are not so, who, by folly or other carelessness, waste what they have.
Commentary on Proverbs 22:28
(Read Proverbs 22:28)
We are taught not to trespass on another man's right. And it is hard to find a truly industrious man. Such a man will rise. Seest thou a man diligent in the business of religion? He is likely to excel. Let us then be diligent in God's work.