1Better the poor whose way of life is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.2Desire without knowledge is not good – how much more will hasty feet miss the way!3A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.4Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.5A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free.6Many curry favour with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.7The poor are shunned by all their relatives – how much more do their friends avoid them! Though the poor pursue them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.[1]8The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.9A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish.10It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury – how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!11A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offence.12A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favour is like dew on the grass.13A foolish child is a father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof.14Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.15Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry.16Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.17Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.18Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death.19A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again.20Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.21Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.22What a person desires is unfailing love[2]; better to be poor than a liar.23The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.24A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!25Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge.26Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother is a child who brings shame and disgrace.27Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.28A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.29Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.
Proverbs 19
English Standard Version
1Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool. (Ps 26:1; Ps 26:11; Pr 14:2; Pr 20:7; Pr 28:6)2Desire[1] without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way. (Pr 21:5; Pr 28:20; Pr 29:20)3When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord. (Ps 37:7; Pr 11:3; Isa 8:21; Re 16:11)4Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend. (Pr 14:20)5A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape. (De 19:16; Pr 6:19; Pr 12:19; Pr 21:28)6Many seek the favor of a generous man,[2] and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. (Pr 17:8)7All a poor man’s brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them.[3] (Ps 38:11; Pr 19:4)8Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good. (Pr 15:32; Pr 16:20)9A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish. (Pr 19:5)10It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes. (Pr 17:7; Pr 26:1; Pr 30:22; Ec 10:6)11Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. (Pr 14:29)12A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. (Ps 133:3; Pr 14:35; Pr 16:14; Pr 20:2; Pr 28:15; Ho 14:5; Mic 5:7)13A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain. (Pr 10:1; Pr 17:21; Pr 21:9; Pr 27:15)14House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. (Pr 18:22; 2Co 12:14)15Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger. (Job 4:13; Pr 6:9; Pr 10:4; Pr 20:4; Pr 20:13; Pr 23:21)16Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die. (Pr 13:13; Lu 10:28)17Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. (De 15:7; Pr 12:14; Pr 22:9; Pr 28:27; Ec 11:1; Mt 10:42; Mt 25:40; Lu 6:38; 2Co 9:6; Heb 6:10)18Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death. (De 21:18; Pr 13:24; Pr 23:13)19A man of great wrath will pay the penalty, for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.20Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. (Ps 37:37)21Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (Job 23:13; Ps 33:10; Isa 14:26; Isa 46:10)22What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar.23The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm. (Le 26:6; Ps 25:13; Pr 10:16; Pr 11:19; Isa 38:5; Mr 10:30)24The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth. (Pr 15:19; Pr 20:4; Pr 26:15; Mt 26:23; Mr 14:20)25Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge. (De 13:6; Ps 1:1; Pr 9:8; Pr 21:11)26He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach. (Pr 10:5; Pr 17:2)27Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. (2Pe 2:21)28A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity. (Job 15:16; Job 34:7; Pr 18:8)29Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools. (Pr 10:13; Pr 18:6; Pr 19:25; Pr 26:3)