19 行為正直的窮人,
    勝過詭詐的愚人。
熱誠卻無知不足取,
    行動急躁難免有錯。
人因愚昧而自毀前程,
    他的心卻抱怨耶和華。
財富招來許多朋友,
    窮人卻遭朋友拋棄。
作偽證者難免受罰,
    撒謊的人罪責難逃。
大家都討好慷慨的人,
    人人都結交好施贈的。
窮人被親人厭棄,
    朋友都遠遠躲避。
    他苦苦哀求,也無人理會。
得到智慧的珍惜生命,
    持守悟性的享受福樂。
作偽證者難免受罰,
    撒謊的人自取滅亡。
10 愚人奢華宴樂不相宜,
    奴隸管轄王子更離譜。
11 智者不輕易發怒,
    饒恕是他的榮耀。
12 君王的震怒像雄獅怒吼,
    君王的恩澤如草上甘露。
13 愚昧之子是父親的災殃,
    爭鬧之妻如雨滴漏不止。
14 房屋錢財是祖先的遺產,
    賢慧之妻乃耶和華所賜。
15 懶惰使人沉睡,
    懈怠使人挨餓。
16 遵守誡命的保全性命,
    藐視誡命的自尋死路。
17 善待窮人等於借貸給耶和華,
    耶和華必回報他的善行。
18 管教孩子宜早不宜晚,
    不可任由他走向滅亡。
19 脾氣暴躁的人必吃苦頭。
    你若救他,一次肯定不夠。
20 你要受教聽勸,
    以便得到智慧。
21 人心中有許多計劃,
    唯耶和華的旨意成就。
22 人心愛慕忠誠,
    受窮勝過撒謊。
23 敬畏耶和華使人得享生命,
    安然滿足,免遭禍患。
24 懶惰人手放在餐盤,
    卻懶得送食物進嘴。
25 責打嘲諷者,愚人學會謹慎;
    責備明哲人,他會增長見識。
26 苛待父親的人可鄙,
    逼走母親的人可恥。
27 孩子啊,你若不聽教誨,
    就會偏離知識。
28 作偽證者嘲諷公義,
    惡人的口吞吃罪惡。
29 刑罰對付嘲諷者,
    鞭子責打愚人背。

19 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.

The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the Lord.

Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.

Many will intreat the favour of the prince: 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? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.

He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

10 Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

11 The discretion of a man deferreth his 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 favour 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 the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord.

15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.

17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.

20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.

22 The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

23 The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

24 A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.

26 He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.

27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

28 An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.

29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

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