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The Counsel of Yahweh Will Stand

19 (A)Better is a poor man who (B)walks in his integrity
Than he who is crooked in lips and is a fool.
Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries [a](C)his footsteps sins.
The (D)folly of man subverts his way,
But his heart (E)rages against Yahweh.
(F)Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.
A [b](G)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who (H)breathes out lies will not escape.
(I)Many will seek the favor of a noble man,
And everyone is a friend to a man who (J)gives gifts.
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.
He who acquires a heart of wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps discernment will (M)find good.
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.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:2 Lit with his feet
  2. Proverbs 19:5 Lit witness of lies, cf. Ex 20:16
  3. Proverbs 19:9 Lit witness of lies, cf. Ex 20:16
  4. Proverbs 19:18 Lit lift up
  5. Proverbs 19:20 Lit your latter end
  6. Proverbs 19:21 Or plans
  7. Proverbs 19:23 Or reverence
  8. Proverbs 19:29 Gr Rods

19 (A)Better is a poor person who (B)walks in his integrity
    than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
Desire[a] without knowledge is not good,
    and whoever (C)makes haste with his feet misses his way.
When a man's folly (D)brings his way to ruin,
    his heart (E)rages against the Lord.
(F)Wealth brings many new friends,
    (G)but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
(H)A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who (I)breathes out lies will not escape.
Many seek the favor of a generous man,[b]
    and everyone is a friend to a man who gives (J)gifts.
(K)All a poor man's brothers hate him;
    (L)how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.[c]
(M)Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
    he who keeps understanding will (N)discover good.
(O)A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and he who (P)breathes out lies will perish.
10 (Q)It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
    much less for (R)a slave to rule over princes.
11 (S)Good sense makes one slow to anger,
    and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king's wrath is like (T)the growling of a lion,
    but his (U)favor is like (V)dew on the grass.
13 (W)A foolish son is ruin to his father,
    and (X)a wife's quarreling is (Y)a continual dripping of rain.
14 (Z)House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
    but a prudent wife is (AA)from the Lord.
15 (AB)Slothfulness casts into (AC)a deep sleep,
    and (AD)an idle person will suffer hunger.
16 Whoever (AE)keeps the commandment keeps his life;
    he who despises his ways will die.
17 (AF)Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
    and he (AG)will repay him for his (AH)deed.
18 (AI)Discipline your son, for there is hope;
    do not set your heart on (AJ)putting him to death.
19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
    for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom in (AK)the future.
21 (AL)Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
    but (AM)it is the purpose of the Lord (AN)that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
    and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord (AO)leads to life,
    and whoever has it rests (AP)satisfied;
    he will (AQ)not be visited by harm.
24 (AR)The sluggard buries his hand in (AS)the dish
    and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 (AT)Strike (AU)a scoffer, and the simple will (AV)learn prudence;
    (AW)reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
    is (AX)a son who brings shame and reproach.
27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
    (AY)and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked (AZ)devours iniquity.
29 Condemnation is ready for (BA)scoffers,
    and (BB)beating for the backs of fools.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:2 Or A soul
  2. Proverbs 19:6 Or of a noble
  3. Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew sentence is uncertain