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19 Más vale ser pobre e intachable
    que necio y embustero.

El afán sin conocimiento no vale nada;
    mucho yerra quien mucho corre.

La necedad del hombre le hace perder el rumbo,
    y para colmo su corazón se irrita contra el Señor.

Con las riquezas aumentan los amigos,
    pero al pobre hasta su amigo lo abandona.

El testigo falso no quedará sin castigo;
    el que esparce mentiras no saldrá bien librado.

Muchos buscan congraciarse con los poderosos;
    todos son amigos de quienes reparten regalos.

Si al pobre lo aborrecen sus parientes,
    con más razón lo evitan sus amigos.
Aunque los busca suplicante,
    por ninguna parte los encuentra.[a]

El que adquiere cordura[b] a sí mismo se ama,
    y el que retiene el discernimiento prospera.

El testigo falso no quedará sin castigo;
    el que difunde mentiras perecerá.

10 No va bien con el necio vivir entre lujos,
    y menos con el esclavo gobernar a los príncipes.

11 El buen juicio hace al hombre paciente;
    su gloria es pasar por alto la ofensa.

12 Rugido de león es la ira del rey;
    su favor es como rocío sobre el pasto.

13 El hijo necio es la ruina del padre;
    la mujer pendenciera es gotera constante.

14 La casa y el dinero se heredan de los padres,
    pero la esposa inteligente es un don del Señor.

15 La pereza conduce al sueño profundo;
    el holgazán pasará hambre.

16 El que cumple el mandamiento cumple consigo mismo;
    el que descuida su conducta morirá.

17 Servir al pobre es hacerle un préstamo al Señor;
    Dios pagará esas buenas acciones.

18 Corrige a tu hijo mientras aún hay esperanza;
    no te hagas cómplice de su muerte.[c]

19 El iracundo tendrá que afrontar el castigo;
    el que intente disuadirlo aumentará su enojo.[d]

20 Escucha el consejo y acepta la corrección,
    y llegarás a ser sabio.

21 El corazón humano genera muchos proyectos,
    pero al final prevalecen los designios del Señor.

22 De todo hombre se espera lealtad.[e]
    Más vale ser pobre que mentiroso.

23 El temor del Señor conduce a la vida;
    da un sueño tranquilo y evita los problemas.

24 El perezoso mete la mano en el plato,
    pero es incapaz de llevarse el bocado a la boca.

25 Golpea al insolente, y se hará prudente el inexperto;
    reprende al entendido, y ganará en conocimiento.

26 El que roba a su padre y echa a la calle a su madre
    es un hijo infame y sinvergüenza.

27 Hijo mío, si dejas de atender a la corrección,
    te apartarás de las palabras del saber.

28 El testigo corrupto se burla de la justicia,
    y la boca del malvado engulle maldad.

29 El castigo se dispuso para los insolentes,
    y los azotes para la espalda de los necios.

Footnotes

  1. 19:7 Texto de difícil traducción.
  2. 19:8 cordura. Lit. corazón.
  3. 19:18 no te hagas … muerte. Alt. pero no te excedas hasta matarlo.
  4. 19:19 Texto de difícil traducción.
  5. 19:22 De todo … lealtad. Alt. El anhelo de todo hombre es su amor.

On Life and Conduct

19 (A)Better is a poor man who (B)walks in his integrity
Than he who is perverse in [a]speech and is a fool.
Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries [b](C)his footsteps [c]errs.
The (D)foolishness of man ruins his way,
And his heart (E)rages against the Lord.
(F)Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.
A (G)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who [d](H)tells lies will not escape.
(I)Many will seek the favor of a [e]generous man,
And every man is a friend to him who (J)gives gifts.
All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his (K)friends abandon him!
He (L)pursues them with words, but they are [f]gone.
He who gets [g]wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will (M)find good.
A (N)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who [h]tells lies will perish.
10 Luxury is (O)not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a (P)slave to rule over princes.
11 A man’s (Q)discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory (R)to overlook a transgression.
12 The (S)king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like (T)dew on the grass.
13 A (U)foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the (V)contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.
14 House and wealth are an (W)inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 (X)Laziness casts into a deep sleep,
And an idle [i]man will suffer hunger.
16 He who (Y)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who [j]is careless of [k]conduct will die.
17 One who (Z)is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his [l](AA)good deed.
18 (AB)Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire [m]his death.
19 A man of great anger will bear the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
20 (AC)Listen to counsel and accept discipline,
That you may be wise [n]the rest of your days.
21 Many (AD)plans are in a man’s heart,
But the (AE)counsel of the Lord will stand.
22 What is desirable in a man is his [o]kindness,
And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.
23 The [p](AF)fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep (AG)satisfied, [q](AH)untouched by evil.
24 The (AI)sluggard buries his hand (AJ)in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 (AK)Strike a scoffer and the [r]naive may become shrewd,
But (AL)reprove one who has understanding and he will [s]gain knowledge.
26 He (AM)who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.
27 Cease listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A rascally witness makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked [t](AN)spreads iniquity.
29 [u]Judgments are prepared for (AO)scoffers,
And (AP)blows for the back of fools.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:1 Lit his lips
  2. Proverbs 19:2 Lit with his feet
  3. Proverbs 19:2 Lit sins
  4. Proverbs 19:5 Lit breathes
  5. Proverbs 19:6 Or noble
  6. Proverbs 19:7 Lit not
  7. Proverbs 19:8 Lit heart
  8. Proverbs 19:9 Lit breathes
  9. Proverbs 19:15 Lit soul
  10. Proverbs 19:16 Lit despises
  11. Proverbs 19:16 Lit ways
  12. Proverbs 19:17 Or benefits
  13. Proverbs 19:18 Lit causing him to die
  14. Proverbs 19:20 Lit in your latter end
  15. Proverbs 19:22 Or loyalty
  16. Proverbs 19:23 Or reverence
  17. Proverbs 19:23 Lit not visited
  18. Proverbs 19:25 Lit simple
  19. Proverbs 19:25 Lit discern
  20. Proverbs 19:28 Or swallows
  21. Proverbs 19:29 Gr Rods

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