Proverbs 19
English Standard Version
19 (A)Better is a poor person who (B)walks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
2 Desire[a] without knowledge is not good,
and whoever (C)makes haste with his feet misses his way.
3 When a man's folly (D)brings his way to ruin,
his heart (E)rages against the Lord.
4 (F)Wealth brings many new friends,
(G)but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5 (H)A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who (I)breathes out lies will not escape.
6 Many seek the favor of a generous man,[b]
and everyone is a friend to a man who gives (J)gifts.
7 (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]
8 (M)Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will (N)discover good.
9 (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
- Proverbs 19:2 Or A soul
- Proverbs 19:6 Or of a noble
- Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew sentence is uncertain
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.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.