1It is better to be poor and to live without blame than to be foolish and to twist words around.2Getting excited about something without knowledge isn’t good. It’s even worse to be in a hurry and miss the way.3A person’s own foolish acts destroy their life. But their heart is angry with the LORD.4Wealth brings many friends. But even the closest friend of a poor person abandons them.5A dishonest witness will be punished. And whoever pours out lies will not go free.6Many try to win the favour of rulers. And everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts.7Poor people are avoided by their whole family. Their friends avoid them even more. The poor person runs after his friends to beg for help. But they can’t be found.8Anyone who gets wisdom loves life. Anyone who values understanding will soon succeed.9A dishonest witness will be punished. And those who pour out lies will die.10It isn’t proper for a foolish person to live in great comfort. And it is much worse when a slave rules over princes!11A person’s wisdom makes them patient. They will be honoured if they forgive someone who sins against them.12A king’s anger is like a lion’s roar. But his favour is like dew on the grass.13A foolish child is a father’s ruin. A nagging wife is like dripping that never stops.14You will receive houses and wealth from your parents. But a wise wife is given by the LORD.15Anyone who doesn’t want to work sleeps his life away. And a person who refuses to work goes hungry.16Those who keep commandments keep their lives. But those who don’t care how they live will die.17Anyone who is kind to poor people lends to the LORD. God will reward them for what they have done.18Train your children, because then there is hope. Don’t do anything to bring about their deaths.19A person with a bad temper must pay for it. If you save them, you will have to do it again.20Listen to advice and accept correction. In the end you will be counted among those who are wise.21A person may have many plans in their heart. But the LORD’s purpose wins out in the end.22Everyone longs for love that never fails. It is better to be poor than to be a liar.23Having respect for the LORD leads to life. Then you will be content and free from trouble.24A person who doesn’t want to work leaves his hand in the dish. He won’t even bring it back up to his mouth!25If you whip a person who makes fun of others, childish people will learn to be wise. If you warn those who already understand what is right, they will gain even more knowledge.26Anyone who robs their father and drives out their mother is a child who brings shame and dishonour.27My son, if you stop listening to what I teach you, you will wander away from the words of knowledge.28A dishonest witness makes fun of what is right. The mouths of those who do wrong gulp down evil.29Those who make fun of others will be judged. Foolish people will be punished.
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)