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19 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity
Than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
Also, [a]that the soul be without knowledge is not good;
And he that hasteth with his feet [b]sinneth.
The foolishness of man subverteth his way;
And his heart fretteth against Jehovah.
Wealth addeth many friends;
But [c]the poor is separated from his friend.
A false witness shall not be unpunished;
And he that [d]uttereth lies shall not escape.
Many will entreat the favor of [e]the liberal man;
And every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.
All the brethren of the poor do hate him:
How much more do his friends go far from him!
[f]He pursueth them with words, but they are gone.
He that getteth [g]wisdom loveth his own soul:
He that keepeth understanding shall find good.
A false witness shall not be unpunished;
And he that [h]uttereth lies shall perish.
10 Delicate living is not seemly for a fool;
Much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11 The discretion of a man maketh him slow to anger;
And it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
12 The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion;
But his favor is as dew upon the grass.
13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father;
And the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
14 House and riches are an inheritance from fathers;
But a prudent wife is from Jehovah.
15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep;
And the idle soul shall suffer hunger.
16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his soul;
But he that [i]is careless of his ways shall die.
17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto Jehovah,
And his good deed will he pay him again.
18 Chasten thy son, seeing there is hope;
And set not thy heart on [j]his destruction.
19 A man of great wrath shall bear the penalty;
For if thou deliver him, thou must do it yet again.
20 Hear counsel, and receive [k]instruction,
That thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
21 There are many devices in a man’s heart;
But the counsel of Jehovah, that shall stand.
22 That which maketh a man to be desired is his kindness;
And a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of Jehovah tendeth to life;
And he that hath it shall abide satisfied;
He shall not be visited with evil.
24 The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 Smite a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
And reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.
26 He that doeth violence to his father, and chaseth away his mother,
Is a son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach.
27 Cease, my son, to hear instruction
Only to err from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocketh at justice;
And the mouth of the wicked swalloweth iniquity.
29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And stripes for the back of fools.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:2 Or, desire without knowledge is not good
  2. Proverbs 19:2 Or, misseth his way
  3. Proverbs 19:4 Or, the friend of the poor separateth himself from him
  4. Proverbs 19:5 Hebrew breatheth out.
  5. Proverbs 19:6 Or, a prince
  6. Proverbs 19:7 Or, He pursueth after words, which are nought
  7. Proverbs 19:8 Hebrew heart.
  8. Proverbs 19:9 Hebrew breatheth out.
  9. Proverbs 19:16 Hebrew despiseth.
  10. Proverbs 19:18 Hebrew causing him to die.
  11. Proverbs 19:20 Or, correction

19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than a fool whose lips are perverse.(A)

Desire without knowledge is not good—
    how much more will hasty feet miss the way!(B)

A person’s own folly(C) leads to their ruin,
    yet their heart rages against the Lord.(D)

Wealth attracts many friends,
    but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(E)

A false witness(F) will not go unpunished,(G)
    and whoever pours out lies will not go free.(H)

Many curry favor with a ruler,(I)
    and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.(J)

The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
    how much more do their friends avoid them!(K)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
    they are nowhere to be found.[a](L)

The one who gets wisdom loves life;
    the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.(M)

A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and whoever pours out lies will perish.(N)

10 It is not fitting for a fool(O) to live in luxury—
    how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!(P)

11 A person’s wisdom yields patience;(Q)
    it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

12 A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,(R)
    but his favor is like dew(S) on the grass.(T)

13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(U)
    and a quarrelsome wife is like
    the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(V)

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,(W)
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.(X)

15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
    and the shiftless go hungry.(Y)

16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
    but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.(Z)

17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,(AA)
    and he will reward them for what they have done.(AB)

18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
    do not be a willing party to their death.(AC)

19 A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
    rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,(AD)
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.(AE)

21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.(AF)

22 What a person desires is unfailing love[b];
    better to be poor than a liar.

23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
    then one rests content, untouched by trouble.(AG)

24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he will not even bring it back to his mouth!(AH)

25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
    rebuke the discerning,(AI) and they will gain knowledge.(AJ)

26 Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother(AK)
    is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

27 Stop listening to instruction, my son,(AL)
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.(AM)

29 Penalties are prepared for mockers,
    and beatings for the backs of fools.(AN)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
  2. Proverbs 19:22 Or Greed is a person’s shame