Proverbs 19

Chapter 19

1 Better to be poor and honest
than to be dishonest and a fool.2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good;
haste makes mistakes.3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
and then are angry at the LORD.4 Wealth makes many “friends”;
poverty drives them all away.5 A false witness will not go unpunished,
nor will a liar escape.6 Many seek favors from a ruler;
everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!7 The relatives of the poor despise them;
how much more will their friends avoid them!
Though the poor plead with them,
their friends are gone.8 To acquire wisdom is to love oneself;
people who cherish understanding will prosper.9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and a liar will be destroyed.10 It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury
or for a slave to rule over princes!11 Sensible people control their temper;
they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.12 The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.13 A foolish childt is a calamity to a father;
a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth,
but only the LORD can give an understanding wife.15 Lazy people sleep soundly,
but idleness leaves them hungry.16 Keep the commandments and keep your life;
despising them leads to death.17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD—
and he will repay you!18 Discipline your children while there is hope.
Otherwise you will ruin their lives.19 Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty.
If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.20 Get all the advice and instruction you can,
so you will be wise the rest of your life.21 You can make many plans,
but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.22 Loyalty makes a person attractive.
It is better to be poor than dishonest.23 Fear of the LORD leads to life,
bringing security and protection from harm.24 Lazy people take food in their hand
but don’t even lift it to their mouth.25 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson;
if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.26 Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother
are an embarrassment and a public disgrace.27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child,
you will turn your back on knowledge.28 A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice;
the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.29 Punishment is made for mockers,
and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.

Proverbs 19

1 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.

2 It is not good to have zeal without knowledge,
nor to be hasty and miss the way.

3 A man's own folly ruins his life,
yet his heart rages against the Lord.

4 Wealth brings many friends,
but a poor man's friend deserts him.

5 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who pours out lies will not go free.

6 Many curry favor with a ruler,
and everyone is the friend of a man who gives gifts.

7 A poor man is shunned by all his relatives—
how much more do his friends avoid him!
Though he pursues them with pleading,
they are nowhere to be found.

8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
he who cherishes understanding prospers.

9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who pours out lies will perish.

10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury—
how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

11 A man's wisdom gives him patience;
it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

12 A king's rage is like the roar of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.

13 A foolish son is his father's ruin,
and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless man goes hungry.

16 He who obeys instructions guards his life,
but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die.

17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will reward him for what he has done.

18 Discipline your son, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to his death.

19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty;
if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise.

21 Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

22 What a man desires is unfailing love;
better to be poor than a liar.

23 The fear of the Lord leads to life:
Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.

26 He who robs his father and drives out his mother
is a son who brings shame and disgrace.

27 Stop listening to instruction, my son,
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

29 Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.