Proverbs 19

New American Standard Bible 1995

19 ^(A)Better is a poor man who ^(B)walks in his integrity
Than he who is perverse in ^[a]speech and is a fool.
² Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries ^[b](C)his footsteps ^[c]errs.
³ The ^(D)foolishness of man ruins his way,
And his heart ^(E)rages against the Lord.
^4 (F)Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor man is separated from his friend.
⁵ A ^(G)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who ^[d](H)tells lies will not escape.
^6 (I)Many will seek the favor of a ^[e]generous man,
And every man is a friend to him who ^(J)gives gifts.
⁷ All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
How much more do his ^(K)friends abandon him!
He ^(L)pursues them with words, but they are ^[f]gone.
⁸ He who gets ^[g]wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will ^(M)find good.
⁹ A ^(N)false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who ^[h]tells 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)discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory ^(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 prudent wife is from the Lord.
^15 (X)Laziness casts into a deep sleep,
And an idle ^[i]man will suffer hunger.
¹⁶ He who ^(Y)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who ^[j]is careless of ^[k]conduct will die.
¹⁷ One who ^(Z)is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his ^[l](AA)good deed.
^18 (AB)Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire ^[m]his death.
¹⁹ A man of great anger will bear the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
^20 (AC)Listen to counsel and accept discipline,
That you may be wise ^[n]the rest of your days.
²¹ Many ^(AD)plans are in a man’s heart,
But the ^(AE)counsel of the Lord will stand.
²² What is desirable in a man is his ^[o]kindness,
And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.
²³ The ^[p](AF)fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep ^(AG)satisfied, ^[q](AH)untouched 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 ^[r]naive may become shrewd,
But ^(AL)reprove one who has understanding and he will ^[s]gain knowledge.
²⁶ He ^(AM)who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.
²⁷ Cease listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
²⁸ A rascally witness makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked ^[t](AN)spreads iniquity.
^29 [u]Judgments are prepared for ^(AO)scoffers,
And ^(AP)blows for the back of fools.