Proverbs 19
Modern English Version
19 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
2 Also, it is not good for the soul to be without knowledge,
and he who hastens with his feet sins.
3 The foolishness of man perverts his way,
and his heart frets against the Lord.
4 Wealth makes many friends,
but the poor is separated from his neighbor.
5 A false witness will not be unpunished,
and he who speaks lies will not escape.
6 Many will entreat the favor of the prince,
and every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.
7 All the brothers of the poor hate him;
how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words,
yet they abandon him.
8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will find good.
9 A false witness will not be unpunished,
and he who speaks lies will perish.
10 Delight is not seemly for a fool,
much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11 The discretion of a man defers his anger,
and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
12 The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion,
but his favor is as dew upon the grass.
13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father,
and the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping of water.
14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers,
and a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep,
and an idle soul will suffer hunger.
16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his own soul,
but he who is careless in his ways will die.
17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,
and He will repay what he has given.
18 Chasten your son while there is hope,
and let not your soul spare for his crying.
19 A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
for if you deliver him, yet you must do it again.
20 Hear counsel and receive instruction,
that you may be wise in your latter days.
21 There are many plans in a man’s heart,
nevertheless the counsel of the Lord will stand.
22 The desire of a man is his kindness,
and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord tends to life,
and he who has it will abide satisfied; he will not be visited with evil.
24 A slothful man hides his hand in his bowl,
and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware;
and reprove one who has understanding, and he will understand knowledge.
26 He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.
27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction
that causes to err from the words of knowledge.
28 An ungodly witness scorns judgment,
and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29 Judgments are prepared for scorners,
and beatings for the back of fools.
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”
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