19 (A)Better is a poor person who (B)walks in his integrity
    than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
Desire[a] without knowledge is not good,
    and whoever (C)makes haste with his feet misses his way.
When a man's folly (D)brings his way to ruin,
    his heart (E)rages against the Lord.
(F)Wealth brings many new friends,
    (G)but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
(H)A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who (I)breathes out lies will not escape.
Many seek the favor of a generous man,[b]
    and everyone is a friend to a man who gives (J)gifts.
(K)All a poor man's brothers hate him;
    (L)how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.[c]
(M)Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
    he who keeps understanding will (N)discover good.
(O)A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who (P)breathes out lies will perish.
10 (Q)It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
    much less for (R)a slave to rule over princes.
11 (S)Good sense makes one slow to anger,
    and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king's wrath is like (T)the growling of a lion,
    but his (U)favor is like (V)dew on the grass.
13 (W)A foolish son is ruin to his father,
    and (X)a wife's quarreling is (Y)a continual dripping of rain.
14 (Z)House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
    but a prudent wife is (AA)from the Lord.
15 (AB)Slothfulness casts into (AC)a deep sleep,
    and (AD)an idle person will suffer hunger.
16 Whoever (AE)keeps the commandment keeps his life;
    he who despises his ways will die.
17 (AF)Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
    and he (AG)will repay him for his (AH)deed.
18 (AI)Discipline your son, for there is hope;
    do not set your heart on (AJ)putting him to death.
19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
    for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom in (AK)the future.
21 (AL)Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
    but (AM)it is the purpose of the Lord (AN)that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
    and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord (AO)leads to life,
    and whoever has it rests (AP)satisfied;
    he will (AQ)not be visited by harm.
24 (AR)The sluggard buries his hand in (AS)the dish
    and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 (AT)Strike (AU)a scoffer, and the simple will (AV)learn prudence;
    (AW)reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
    is (AX)a son who brings shame and reproach.
27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
    (AY)and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked (AZ)devours iniquity.
29 Condemnation is ready for (BA)scoffers,
    and (BB)beating for the backs of fools.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:2 Or A soul
  2. Proverbs 19:6 Or of a noble
  3. Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew sentence is uncertain

19 Better a poor person who lives with integrity(A)
than someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool.

Even zeal is not good without knowledge,(B)
and the one who acts hastily[a] sins.(C)

A person’s own foolishness leads him astray,
yet his heart rages against the Lord.(D)

Wealth attracts many friends,(E)
but a poor person is separated from his friend.

A false witness will not go unpunished,(F)
and one who utters lies will not escape.(G)

Many seek a ruler’s favor,(H)
and everyone is a friend of one who gives gifts.(I)

All the brothers of a poor person hate him;(J)
how much more do his friends
keep their distance from him!
He may pursue them with words,(K)
but they are not there.[b]

The one who acquires good sense[c] loves himself;
one who safeguards understanding finds success.(L)

A false witness will not go unpunished,
and one who utters lies perishes.(M)

10 Luxury is not appropriate for a fool(N)
how much less for a slave to rule over princes!(O)

11 A person’s insight gives him patience,(P)
and his virtue is to overlook an offense.(Q)

12 A king’s rage is like the roaring of a lion,(R)
but his favor is like dew on the grass.(S)

13 A foolish son is his father’s ruin,(T)
and a wife’s nagging is an endless dripping.(U)

14 A house and wealth are inherited from fathers,(V)
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

15 Laziness induces deep sleep,
and a lazy person will go hungry.(W)

16 The one who keeps commands preserves himself;(X)
one who disregards[d] his ways will die.(Y)

17 Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord,(Z)
and he will give a reward to the lender.[e](AA)

18 Discipline your son while there is hope;
don’t set your heart on being the cause of his death.[f](AB)

19 A person with intense anger bears the penalty;
if you rescue him, you’ll have to do it again.(AC)

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction
so that you may be wise later in life.[g](AD)

21 Many plans are in a person’s heart,
but the Lord’s decree will prevail.(AE)

22 What is desirable in a person is his fidelity;
better to be a poor person than a liar.(AF)

23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
one will sleep at night[h] without danger.(AG)

24 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth!(AH)

25 Strike a mocker, and the inexperienced learn a lesson;(AI)
rebuke the discerning, and he gains knowledge.(AJ)

26 The one who plunders his father and evicts his mother
is a disgraceful and shameful son.

27 If you stop listening to correction, my son,
you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A worthless witness mocks justice,
and a wicked mouth swallows iniquity.(AK)

29 Judgments are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.(AL)

Footnotes

  1. 19:2 Lit who is hasty with feet
  2. 19:7 Hb uncertain
  3. 19:8 Lit acquires a heart
  4. 19:16 Or despises, or treats lightly
  5. 19:17 Lit to him
  6. 19:18 Lit don’t lift up your soul to his death
  7. 19:20 Lit in your end
  8. 19:23 Lit will spend the night satisfied