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Proverbs 19
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Proverbs 19
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
19 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
than a man who is perverse in speech, and is a fool.
2 It is not good for a man to be without knowledge,
and he who makes haste with his feet misses his way.
3 When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,
his heart rages against the Lord.
4 Wealth brings many new friends,
but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who utters lies will not escape.
6 Many seek the favor of a generous man,
and every one is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
7 All 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.[a]
8 He who gets wisdom loves himself;
he who keeps understanding will prosper.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who utters lies will perish.
10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for a slave to rule over princes.
11 Good sense makes a man slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion,
but his favor is like dew upon the grass.
13 A foolish son is ruin to his father,
and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
14 House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep,
and an idle person will suffer hunger.
16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his life;
he who despises the word[b] will die.
17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will repay him for his deed.
18 Discipline your son while there is hope;
do not set your heart on his destruction.
19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty;
for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.[c]
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom for the future.
21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established.
22 What is desired in a man is loyalty,
and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
and he who has it rests satisfied;
he will not be visited by harm.
24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish,
and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.
27 Cease, my son, to hear instruction
only to stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29 Condemnation is ready for scoffers,
and flogging for the backs of fools.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 19:7 Heb uncertain
- Proverbs 19:16 Cn Compare 13.13: Heb his ways
- Proverbs 19:19 Heb obscure
Proverbs 19
New International Version
Proverbs 19
New International Version
19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.(A)
2 Desire without knowledge is not good—
how much more will hasty feet miss the way!(B)
4 Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(E)
7 The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
how much more do their friends avoid them!(K)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
they are nowhere to be found.[a](L)
8 The one who gets wisdom loves life;
the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.(M)
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will perish.(N)
10 It is not fitting for a fool(O) to live in luxury—
how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!(P)
11 A person’s wisdom yields patience;(Q)
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(U)
and a quarrelsome wife is like
the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(V)
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless go hungry.(Y)
16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.(Z)
17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,(AA)
and he will reward them for what they have done.(AB)
18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to their death.(AC)
19 A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
rescue them, and you will have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,(AD)
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.(AE)
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.(AF)
22 What a person desires is unfailing love[b];
better to be poor than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;
then one rests content, untouched by trouble.(AG)
24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!(AH)
25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke the discerning,(AI) and they will gain knowledge.(AJ)
26 Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother(AK)
is a child who brings shame and disgrace.
27 Stop listening to instruction, my son,(AL)
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.(AM)
29 Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.(AN)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
- Proverbs 19:22 Or Greed is a person’s shame
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.