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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 Better the poor walking in integrity
    than one perverse of speech who is a fool.(A)
Desire without knowledge is not good,
    and one who moves too hurriedly misses the way.
One’s own folly leads to ruin,
    yet the heart rages against the Lord.(B)
Wealth brings many friends,
    but the poor are left friendless.(C)
A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and a liar will not escape.(D)
Many seek the favor of the generous,
    and everyone is a friend to a giver of gifts.(E)
If the poor are hated even by their kin,
    how much more are they shunned by their friends!
When they call after them, they are not there.[a](F)
To get wisdom is to love oneself;
    to keep understanding is to prosper.(G)
A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and the liar will perish.
10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
    much less for a slave to rule over princes.(H)
11 Those with good sense are slow to anger,
    and it is their glory to overlook an offense.(I)
12 A king’s anger is like the growling of a lion,
    but his favor is like dew on the grass.(J)
13 A stupid child is ruin to a father,
    and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.(K)
14 House and wealth are inherited from parents,
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.(L)
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep;
    an idle person will suffer hunger.(M)
16 Those who keep the commandment will live;
    those who are heedless of their ways will die.(N)
17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord
    and will be repaid in full.(O)
18 Discipline your children while there is hope;
    do not set your heart on their destruction.(P)
19 A violent-tempered person will pay the penalty;
    if you effect a rescue, you will only have to do it again.[b]
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom for the future.(Q)
21 The human mind may devise many plans,
    but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established.(R)
22 What is desirable in a person is loyalty,
    and it is better to be poor than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord is life indeed;
    filled with it one rests secure
    and suffers no harm.(S)
24 The lazy person buries a hand in the dish
    and will not even bring it back to the mouth.(T)
25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
    reprove the intelligent, and they will gain knowledge.(U)
26 Those who do violence to their father and chase away their mother
    are children who cause shame and bring reproach.
27 My child, stop ignoring instruction,
    straying[c] from words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.(V)
29 Punishments are prepared for scoffers
    and flogging for the backs of fools.(W)

Footnotes

  1. 19.7 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 19.19 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 19.27 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain