Add parallel Print Page Options

19 Better a poor person walking in integrity
    than one who is perverse in his speech[a] and is a fool.
Also, a life[b] without knowledge is not good,
    and he who moves quickly with his feet misses the mark.[c]
As for the folly of humankind, its way leads to ruin,
    and against Yahweh his heart[d] will rage.
Wealth adds many friends,
    but the poor will be left by his friends.
A witness of falsehood will not go unpunished,
    and he who breathes lies will not escape.
Many will seek favor before the generous,
    and everyone is the friend of a man of gifts.[e]
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]
He who acquires wisdom loves himself;[g]
    he who guards understanding loves to find good.
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

  1. Proverbs 19:1 Literally “in his lips”
  2. Proverbs 19:2 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  3. Proverbs 19:2 Or “sins”
  4. Proverbs 19:3 Or “mind”
  5. Proverbs 19:6 Hebrew “gift”
  6. Proverbs 19:7 Or “when he pursues words and not them”
  7. Proverbs 19:8 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  8. Proverbs 19:11 Literally “nostril”
  9. Proverbs 19:13 Or “wife”
  10. Proverbs 19:14 Or “wife”
  11. Proverbs 19:15 Or “soul,” or “life”
  12. Proverbs 19:16 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  13. Proverbs 19:18 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  14. Proverbs 19:20 Literally “after things
  15. Proverbs 19:21 Or “mind”
  16. Proverbs 19:22 Literally “man of lying”
  17. Proverbs 19:27 Literally “in order to stray”
  18. Proverbs 19:29 Or “Punishments,” or “Condemnations”

On Life and Conduct

19 (A)Better is a poor person who (B)walks in his integrity
Than a person who is perverse in [a]speech and is a fool.
Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And one who hurries [b](C)his footsteps [c]errs.
The (D)foolishness of a person ruins his way,
And his heart (E)rages against the Lord.
(F)Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor person is separated from his friend.
A (G)false witness will not go unpunished,
And one who (H)declares lies will not escape.
(I)Many will seek the favor of a [d]generous person,
And every person is a friend to (J)him who gives gifts.
All the brothers of a poor person hate him;
How much more do his (K)friends abandon him!
He (L)pursues them with words, but they are [e]gone.
One who gets [f]wisdom loves his own soul;
One who keeps understanding will (M)find good.
A (N)false witness will not go unpunished,
And one who declares lies will perish.
10 Luxury is (O)not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a (P)slave to rule over princes.
11 A person’s (Q)discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory (R)to overlook an offense.
12 A (S)king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like (T)dew on the grass.
13 A (U)foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the (V)quarrels of a wife are a constant dripping.
14 House and wealth are an (W)inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 (X)Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And [g]a lazy [h]person will suffer hunger.
16 One who (Y)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But one who [i]is careless of [j]conduct will die.
17 One who (Z)is gracious to a poor person lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his [k](AA)good deed.
18 (AB)Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire [l]his death.
19 A person of great anger will suffer the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
20 (AC)Listen to advice and accept discipline,
So that you may be wise [m]the rest of your days.
21 Many (AD)plans are in a person’s heart,
But the (AE)advice of the Lord will stand.
22 What is desirable in a person is his [n]kindness,
And it is better to be a poor person than a liar.
23 [o]The (AF)fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep (AG)satisfied, [p](AH)untouched by evil.
24 The [q](AI)lazy one buries his hand (AJ)in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 (AK)Strike a scoffer and the naive may become clever,
But (AL)rebuke one who has understanding, and he will [r]gain knowledge.
26 He (AM)who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.
27 Stop listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked [s](AN)swallows wrongdoing.
29 [t]Judgments are prepared for (AO)scoffers,
And (AP)beatings for the backs of fools.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:1 Lit his lips
  2. Proverbs 19:2 Lit with his feet
  3. Proverbs 19:2 Lit sins
  4. Proverbs 19:6 Or noble
  5. Proverbs 19:7 Lit not
  6. Proverbs 19:8 Lit heart
  7. Proverbs 19:15 Lit an idle
  8. Proverbs 19:15 Lit soul
  9. Proverbs 19:16 Lit despises
  10. Proverbs 19:16 Lit ways
  11. Proverbs 19:17 Or benefits
  12. Proverbs 19:18 Lit causing him to die
  13. Proverbs 19:20 Lit in your latter end
  14. Proverbs 19:22 Or loyalty
  15. Proverbs 19:23 Or Reverence for
  16. Proverbs 19:23 Lit not visited
  17. Proverbs 19:24 Lit idle person
  18. Proverbs 19:25 Lit discern
  19. Proverbs 19:28 Another reading is pours out
  20. Proverbs 19:29 LXX Rods