Proverbs 19

1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.2 Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who hastens with his feet.3 The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the Lord.4 Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend.5 A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape.6 Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.7 All the brothers of the poor hate him; How much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue 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 go unpunished, And he who speaks lies shall perish.10 Luxury is not fitting for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule over princes.11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.12 The kings wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass.13 A foolish son is the ruin of his father, And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.14 Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord.15 Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And an idle person will suffer hunger.16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die.17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.18 Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.19  A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.21 There are many plans in a mans heart, Nevertheless the Lords counselthat will stand.22 What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar.23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.24 A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.26 He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.27 Cease listening to instruction, my son, And you will stray from the words of knowledge.28 A disreputable witness scorns justice, And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of fools.

PROVERBS 19

It's Wise To Be Patient

1 It's better to be poor
and live right
than to be a stupid liar.

2 Willingness and stupidity
don't go well together.
If you are too eager,
you will miss the road.

3 We are ruined
by our own stupidity,
though we blame the [Lord].

4 The rich have many friends;
the poor have none.

5 Dishonest witnesses and liars
won't escape punishment.

6 Everyone tries to be friends
of those who can help them.

7 If you are poor,
your own relatives reject you,
and your friends are worse.
When you really need them,
they are not there.t

8 Do yourself a favor
by having good sense—
you will be glad you did.

9 Dishonest witnesses and liars
will be destroyed.

10 It isn't right for a fool
to live in luxury
or for a slave to rule
in place of a king.

11 It's wise to be patient
and show what you are like
by forgiving others.

12 An angry king roars
like a lion,
but when a king is pleased,
it's like dew on the crops.

13 Foolish children bring disgrace
to their fathers.
A nagging wife goes on and on
like the drip, drip, drip
of the rain.

14 You may inherit all you own
from your parents,
but a sensible wife
is a gift from the [Lord].

15 If you are lazy
and sleep your time away,
you will starve.

16 Obey the Lord's teachings
and you will live—
disobey and you will die.

17 Caring for the poor
is lending to the [Lord],
and you will be well repaid.

18 Correct your children
before it's too late;
if you don't punish them,
trouble will come their way.t

19 People with bad tempers
are always in trouble,
and they need help
over and over again.t

20 Pay attention to advice
and accept correction,
so you can live sensibly.

21 We may make a lot of plans,
but the [Lord] will do
what he has decided.

22 What matters most is loyalty.
It's better to be poor
than to be a liar.

23 Showing respect to the [Lord]
brings true life—
if you do it, you can relax
without fear of danger.

24 Some people are too lazy
to lift a hand
to feed themselves.

25 Stupid fools learn good sense
by seeing others punished;
a sensible person learns
by being corrected.

26 Disgraceful children
rob their father
and chase their mother away.

27 If you stop learning,
you will forget
what you already know.

28 A lying witness makes fun
of the court system,
and criminals think crime
is really delicious.

29 A stupid fool should expect
to be punished.