Proverbs 19
Expanded Bible
19 It is better to be poor and ·honest [L walking in innocence]
than to be foolish and ·tell lies [L have crooked lips].
2 ·Enthusiasm [Desire; Zeal; Passion] without knowledge is not good.
·If you act too quickly, you might make a mistake [L Rushing feet make mistakes].
3 People’s own foolishness ·ruins their lives [L frustrates their path],
but in their ·minds [L hearts] they ·blame [rage at] the Lord.
4 Wealthy people are always finding more friends,
but the poor lose all theirs.
5 A witness who lies will not go ·free [unpunished];
liars will never escape.
6 Many people ·want to please [L seek the face of] a leader,
and everyone is friends with those who give gifts.
7 Poor people’s relatives ·avoid [L hate] them;
·even [L how much more do] their friends stay far away.
They run after them, begging,
but they are gone.
8 Those who ·get wisdom [L acquire heart] ·do themselves a favor [L love themselves],
and those who ·love learning [guard understanding] will succeed.
9 A witness who lies will not go ·free [unpunished],
liars will ·die [perish].
10 A fool should not live in luxury.
A slave should not rule over princes [Eccl. 10:5–7].
11 The ·wise [insightful] ·are patient [L hold in their anger];
they will be ·honored [praised; glorified] if they ignore ·insults [offenses].
12 An angry king is like a ·roaring [growling] lion,
but his ·kindness [favor] is like the dew on the grass.
13 A foolish ·child [son] ·brings [is a] disaster to a father,
and a ·quarreling [contentious] wife is like ·dripping water [constant dripping].
14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,
but a ·wise [insightful] wife is a gift from the Lord.
15 Lazy people ·sleep a lot [L fall into a deep sleep],
and idle people will go hungry.
16 Those who ·obey [guard] the commands ·protect [guard] themselves,
but those who ·are careless [L despise their way] will die.
17 Being ·kind [gracious; generous] to the poor is like lending to the Lord;
he will ·reward you for what you have done [fully repay you].
18 ·Correct [Discipline] your children while there is still hope;
do not ·let them destroy themselves [or be intent to kill them].
19 People with quick tempers will have to pay for it.
If you ·help them out once [rescue them], you will have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept correction,
and in the ·end [future] you will be wise.
21 People can make all kinds of plans,
but only the Lord’s ·plan [purpose; advice] will ·happen [succeed].
22 People ·want [desire] others to be loyal,
so it is better to be poor than to be a liar.
23 Those who ·respect [fear] the Lord will live
and be satisfied, ·unbothered by trouble [sleep well and not experience harm].
24 Though the lazy person ·puts [L buries] his hand in the dish,
he won’t lift the food to his mouth.
25 ·Whip those who make fun of wisdom [L Hit/Strike a mocker], and perhaps ·foolish [naive; immature; simpleminded] people will gain some ·wisdom [prudence].
Correct those with understanding, and they will gain knowledge.
26 A child who ·robs [devastates] his father and ·sends [drives] away his mother
brings shame and disgrace on himself.
27 Don’t stop listening to correction, my child,
or you will ·forget what you have already learned [L wander from knowledgeable speeches/words].
28 An ·evil [worthless] witness ·makes fun of fairness [mocks justice],
and ·wicked people love what is evil [L the mouth of the wicked conveys guilt].
29 ·People who make fun of wisdom will be punished [L Punishments were made for mockers],
and ·the backs of foolish people will be beaten [L blows for the backs of fools].
Proverbs 19
Amplified Bible
On Life and Conduct
19 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
Than a [rich] man who is twisted in his speech and is a [shortsighted] fool.
2
Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries with his feet [acting impulsively and proceeding without caution or analyzing the consequences] sins (misses the mark).
3
The foolishness of man undermines his way [ruining whatever he undertakes];
Then his heart is resentful and rages against the Lord [for, being a fool, he blames the Lord instead of himself].
4
Wealth makes many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.(A)
5
A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who breathes out lies will not escape.(B)
6
Many will seek the favor of a generous and noble man,
And everyone is a friend to him who gives gifts.
7
All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his friends abandon him!
He pursues them with words, but they are gone.
8
He who gains wisdom and good sense loves (preserves) his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good and prosper.
9
A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who breathes lies will perish.
10
Luxury is not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a slave to rule over princes.
11
Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger,
And it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense [without seeking revenge and harboring resentment].
12
The king’s wrath terrifies like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is as [refreshing and nourishing as] dew on the grass.(C)
13
A foolish (ungodly) son is destruction to his father,
And the contentions of a [quarrelsome] wife are like a constant dripping [of water].
14
House and wealth are the inheritance from fathers,
But a wise, understanding, and sensible wife is [a gift and blessing] from the Lord.(D)
15
Laziness casts one into a deep sleep [unmindful of lost opportunity],
And the idle person will suffer hunger.
16
He who keeps and obeys the commandment [of the Lord] keeps (guards) his own life,
But he who is careless of his ways and conduct will die.(E)
17
He who is gracious and lends a hand to the poor lends to the Lord,
And the Lord will repay him for his good deed.(F)
18
Discipline and teach your son while there is hope,
And do not [indulge your anger or resentment by imposing inappropriate punishment nor] desire his destruction.
19
A man of great anger will bear the penalty [for his quick temper and lack of self-control];
For if you rescue him [and do not let him learn from the consequences of his action], you will only have to rescue him over and over again.
20
Listen to counsel, receive instruction, and accept correction,
That you may be wise in the time to come.
21
Many plans are in a man’s mind,
But it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand (be carried out).(G)
22
That which is desirable in a man is his loyalty and unfailing love,
But it is better to be a poor man than a [wealthy] liar.
23
The fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.(H)
24
The lazy man buries his hand in the [food] dish,
But will not even bring it to his mouth again.
25
Strike a scoffer [for refusing to learn], and the naive may [be warned and] become prudent;
Reprimand one who has understanding and a teachable spirit, and he will gain knowledge and insight.
26
He who assaults his father and chases away his mother
Is a son who brings shame and disgrace.(I)
27
Cease listening, my son, to instruction and discipline
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28
A wicked and worthless witness mocks justice,
And the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity.
29
Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And beatings for the backs of [thickheaded] fools.(J)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
