Chapter 19
1 Better to be poor and walk in integrity
than rich and crooked in one’s ways.(A)
2 Desire without knowledge is not good;
and whoever acts hastily, blunders.
3 Their own folly leads people astray;
in their hearts they rage against the Lord.
4 Wealth adds many friends,
but the poor are left friendless.(B)
5 The false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever utters lies will not escape.(C)
6 Many curry favor with a noble;
everybody is a friend of a gift giver.
7 All the kin of the poor despise them;
how much more do their friends shun them!
8 Those who gain sense truly love themselves;
those who preserve understanding will find success.
9 The false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever utters lies will perish.
10 Luxury is not befitting a fool;
much less should a slave rule over princes.
11 It is good sense to be slow to anger,
and an honor to overlook an offense.
12 The king’s wrath is like the roar of a lion,
but his favor, like dew on the grass.(D)
13 The foolish son is ruin to his father,(E)
and a quarrelsome wife is water constantly dripping.
14 Home and possessions are an inheritance from parents,
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.(F)
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the sluggard goes hungry.(G)
16 Those who keep commands keep their lives,
but those who despise these ways will die.(H)
17 Whoever cares for the poor lends to the Lord,(I)
who will pay back the sum in full.
18 Discipline your son, for there is hope;
but do not be intent on his death.(J)
19 A wrathful person bears the penalty;
after one rescue, you will have it to do again.
20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
that you may eventually become wise.
21 Many are the plans of the human heart,
but it is the decision of the Lord that endures.(K)
22 What is desired of a person is fidelity;
rather be poor than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
one eats and sleeps free from any harm.
24 The sluggard buries a hand in the dish;
not even lifting it to the mouth.(L)
25 Beat a scoffer and the naive learn a lesson;
rebuke the intelligent and they gain knowledge.(M)
26 Whoever mistreats a father or drives away a mother,
is a shameless and disgraceful child.(N)
27 My son, stop attending to correction;
start straying from words of knowledge.
28 An unprincipled witness scoffs at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked pours out iniquity.
29 Rods are prepared for scoffers,
and blows for the backs of fools.(O)
Footnotes
- 19:2
- 19:3
- 19:5
- 19:7
- 19:8
- 19:11
- 19:12
- 19:13
- 19:18
- 19:22
- 19:26
- 19:27
Cross references
- 19:1 : Prv 28:6.
- 19:4 : Prv 14:20; Sir 13:20–23.
- 19:5 : Dt 19:16–20; Dn 13:61.
- 19:12 : Prv 20:2.
- 19:13 : Prv 10:1; 17:25.
- 19:14 : Prv 18:22.
- 19:15 : Prv 6:9–10.
- 19:16 : Prv 13:13; 16:17.
- 19:17 : Prv 14:21; 22:9; 28:27.
- 19:18 : Prv 13:24; 23:13–14.
- 19:21 : Prv 16:9.
- 19:24 : Prv 26:15.
- 19:25 : Prv 17:10; 21:11.
- 19:26 : Sir 3:16.
- 19:29 : Prv 26:3.
