Proverbs 19
Lexham English Bible
19 Better a poor person walking in integrity
than one who is perverse in his speech[a] and is a fool.
2 Also, a life[b] without knowledge is not good,
and he who moves quickly with his feet misses the mark.[c]
3 As for the folly of humankind, its way leads to ruin,
and against Yahweh his heart[d] will rage.
4 Wealth adds many friends,
but the poor will be left by his friends.
5 A witness of falsehood will not go unpunished,
and he who breathes lies will not escape.
6 Many will seek favor before the generous,
and everyone is the friend of a man of gifts.[e]
7 All the brothers of the poor, if they hate him,
how much more will his friends keep away from him.
He pursues them with words, and they are gone.[f]
8 He who acquires wisdom loves himself;[g]
he who guards understanding loves to find good.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who breathes lies will perish.
10 For a fool living in luxury is not fitting,
any more than it is for a slave to rule over princes.
11 The understanding of a person makes him slow to his anger,[h]
and his glory overlooks offense.
12 The rage of a king growls like a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish child is a ruin to his father,
and the quarreling of a woman[i] is a continuous dripping.
14 A house and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,
but from Yahweh comes a woman[j] who is prudent.
15 Laziness will bring on a deep sleep,
and a person[k] of idleness will suffer hunger.
16 He who guards commandments guards his life;[l]
he who is careless of his ways will be killed.
17 He who lends to Yahweh is he who is kind to the poor,
and his benefits he will repay to him.
18 Discipline your child, for there is hope,
but on his destruction do not set your desire.[m]
19 A hot-tempered person pays a penalty;
if you rescue him, you will do it yet again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction
so that you will gain wisdom for your future.[n]
21 Many plans are in the heart[o] of a man,
but the purpose of Yahweh will be established.
22 The craving of a man is his steadfast loyalty,
and it is better to be poor than a liar.[p]
23 Fear of Yahweh leads to life;
he who is filled with it will rest—he will not suffer harm.
24 A lazy person buries his hand in the dish,
and even to his mouth he will not bring it back.
25 The scoffer you shall strike, and the simple, may they learn prudence,
and reprove the intelligent and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to a father, he who chases away a mother,
is a child who causes shame and brings reproach.
27 Cease to listen to instruction, my child,
and you will stray[q] from sayings of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness will mock justice,
and the mouth of the wicked will devour iniquity.
29 Judgments[r] are prepared for the scoffers,
and flogging for the back of fools.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 19:1 Literally “in his lips”
- Proverbs 19:2 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 19:2 Or “sins”
- Proverbs 19:3 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 19:6 Hebrew “gift”
- Proverbs 19:7 Or “when he pursues words and not them”
- Proverbs 19:8 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 19:11 Literally “nostril”
- Proverbs 19:13 Or “wife”
- Proverbs 19:14 Or “wife”
- Proverbs 19:15 Or “soul,” or “life”
- Proverbs 19:16 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 19:18 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 19:20 Literally “after things”
- Proverbs 19:21 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 19:22 Literally “man of lying”
- Proverbs 19:27 Literally “in order to stray”
- Proverbs 19:29 Or “Punishments,” or “Condemnations”
Proverbs 19
American Standard Version
19 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity
Than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
2 Also, [a]that the soul be without knowledge is not good;
And he that hasteth with his feet [b]sinneth.
3 The foolishness of man subverteth his way;
And his heart fretteth against Jehovah.
4 Wealth addeth many friends;
But [c]the poor is separated from his friend.
5 A false witness shall not be unpunished;
And he that [d]uttereth lies shall not escape.
6 Many will entreat the favor of [e]the liberal man;
And every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.
7 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.
8 He that getteth [g]wisdom loveth his own soul:
He that keepeth understanding shall find good.
9 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
- Proverbs 19:2 Or, desire without knowledge is not good
- Proverbs 19:2 Or, misseth his way
- Proverbs 19:4 Or, the friend of the poor separateth himself from him
- Proverbs 19:5 Hebrew breatheth out.
- Proverbs 19:6 Or, a prince
- Proverbs 19:7 Or, He pursueth after words, which are nought
- Proverbs 19:8 Hebrew heart.
- Proverbs 19:9 Hebrew breatheth out.
- Proverbs 19:16 Hebrew despiseth.
- Proverbs 19:18 Hebrew causing him to die.
- Proverbs 19:20 Or, correction
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