19 ^(A)Better is a poor man who ^(B)walks in his integrity
Than he who is crooked in lips and is a fool.
² Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries ^[a](C)his footsteps sins.
³ The ^(D)folly of man subverts his way,
But his heart ^(E)rages against Yahweh.
^4 (F)Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.
⁵ A ^[b](G)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who ^(H)breathes out lies will not escape.
^6 (I)Many will seek the favor of a noble man,
And everyone is a friend to a man who ^(J)gives gifts.
⁷ All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his ^(K)friends distance themselves from him!
He ^(L)pursues them with words, but they are no more.
⁸ He who acquires a heart of wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps discernment will ^(M)find good.
⁹ A ^[c](N)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who breathes out lies will perish.
¹⁰ Luxury is ^(O)not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a ^(P)slave to rule over princes.
¹¹ A man’s ^(Q)insight makes him slow to anger,
And it is his honor ^(R)to overlook a transgression.
¹² The ^(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)contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.
¹⁴ House and wealth are an ^(W)inheritance from fathers,
But a wife who has insight is from Yahweh.
^15 (X)Laziness casts into a deep sleep,
And a slack-handed soul will suffer hunger.
¹⁶ He who ^(Y)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who despises his way will die.
¹⁷ He who ^(Z)is gracious to a poor man lends to Yahweh,
And He will repay him for his ^(AA)bountiful deed.
^18 (AB)Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not ^[d]direct your soul to put him to death.
¹⁹ A man of great wrath will bear the penalty,
For if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
^20 (AC)Listen to counsel and receive discipline,
That you may be wise in ^[e]the end of your days.
²¹ Many ^[f](AD)thoughts are in a man’s heart,
But it is the ^(AE)counsel of Yahweh that will stand.
²² What is desirable in a man is his lovingkindness,
And better is a poor man than a man of falsehood.
²³ The ^[g](AF)fear of Yahweh leads to life,
So that one may sleep ^(AG)satisfied, not ^(AH)visited by evil.
²⁴ The ^(AI)sluggard buries his hand ^(AJ)in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
^25 (AK)Strike a scoffer and the simple may become prudent,
But ^(AL)reprove one who has understanding and he will understand knowledge.
²⁶ He ^(AM)who assaults his father and causes his mother to flee
Is a son who brings shame and humiliation.
²⁷ Cease listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
²⁸ A vile witness scoffs at justice,
And the mouth of the wicked ^(AN)swallows up iniquity.
^29 [h]Judgments are established for ^(AO)scoffers,
And ^(AP)beatings for the back of fools.