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
Common English Bible
19 Better to be poor and walk in innocence
than to have dishonest lips and be a fool.
2 Ignorant desire isn’t good;
rushing feet make mistakes.
3 People’s own folly corrupts their way,
but their hearts rage against the Lord.
4 Riches increase one’s friends,
but the poor lose their friends.
5 A false witness won’t go unpunished,
and a liar won’t escape.
6 Many seek favor from rulers;
everyone befriends a gift giver.
7 All the relatives of the poor hate them;
even more, their friends stay far from them.
When they pursue them with words, they aren’t there.
8 Those who acquire good sense love themselves;
those who keep understanding find success.
9 False witnesses won’t go unpunished,
and liars will perish.
10 Luxury isn’t fitting for a fool;
even less so for a servant to rule over princes.
11 Insightful people restrain their anger;
their glory is to ignore an offense.
12 A raging king roars like a lion;
his favor is like the dew on the grass.
13 A foolish son is a disaster to his father;
a contentious wife is like constant dripping.
14 House and riches are an inheritance from one’s ancestors,
but an insightful wife is from the Lord.
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep;
a slacker goes hungry.
16 Those who keep the commandment preserve their lives;
those who disregard their ways will die.
17 Those who are gracious to the poor lend to the Lord,
and the Lord will fully repay them.
18 Discipline your children while there is hope,
but don’t plan to kill them.
19 Angry people must pay the penalty;
if you rescue them, then you will have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
so you might grow wise in the future.
21 Many plans are in a person’s mind,
but the Lord’s purpose will succeed.
22 People long for trustworthiness;
it is better to be poor than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
then one rests content, untouched by harm.
24 Lazy people bury their hand in the bowl;
they won’t even put it to their mouth.
25 Strike someone who scoffs, and a naive person will become clever;
correct someone with understanding, and they will gain knowledge.
26 Those who assault their father and drive out their mother
are disgraceful children, worthy of reproach.
27 If, my child, you stop listening to discipline,
you will wander away from words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks justice;
the wicked mouth gulps down trouble.
29 Punishments were made for mockers,
and blows for the backs of fools.
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