Proverbs 19

Christian Standard Bible

19 Better a poor person who lives with integrity^(A)
than someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool.

² Even zeal is not good without knowledge,^(B)
and the one who acts hastily^[a] sins.^(C)

³ A person’s own foolishness leads him astray,
yet his heart rages against the Lord.^(D)

⁴ Wealth attracts many friends,^(E)
but a poor person is separated from his friend.

⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished,^(F)
and one who utters lies will not escape.^(G)

⁶ Many seek a ruler’s favor,^(H)
and everyone is a friend of one who gives gifts.^(I)

⁷ All the brothers of a poor person hate him;^(J)
how much more do his friends
keep their distance from him!
He may pursue them with words,^(K)
but they are not there.^[b]

⁸ The one who acquires good sense^[c] loves himself;
one who safeguards understanding finds success.^(L)

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
and one who utters lies perishes.^(M)

¹⁰ Luxury is not appropriate for a fool^(N)—
how much less for a slave to rule over princes!^(O)

¹¹ A person’s insight gives him patience,^(P)
and his virtue is to overlook an offense.^(Q)

¹² A king’s rage is like the roaring of a lion,^(R)
but his favor is like dew on the grass.^(S)

¹³ A foolish son is his father’s ruin,^(T)
and a wife’s nagging is an endless dripping.^(U)

¹⁴ A house and wealth are inherited from fathers,^(V)
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

¹⁵ Laziness induces deep sleep,
and a lazy person will go hungry.^(W)

¹⁶ The one who keeps commands preserves himself;^(X)
one who disregards^[d] his ways will die.^(Y)

¹⁷ Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord,^(Z)
and he will give a reward to the lender.^[e](AA)

¹⁸ Discipline your son while there is hope;
don’t set your heart on being the cause of his death.^[f](AB)

¹⁹ A person with intense anger bears the penalty;
if you rescue him, you’ll have to do it again.^(AC)

²⁰ Listen to counsel and receive instruction
so that you may be wise later in life.^[g](AD)

²¹ Many plans are in a person’s heart,
but the Lord’s decree will prevail.^(AE)

²² What is desirable in a person is his fidelity;
better to be a poor person than a liar.^(AF)

²³ The fear of the Lord leads to life;
one will sleep at night^[h] without danger.^(AG)

²⁴ The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth!^(AH)

²⁵ Strike a mocker, and the inexperienced learn a lesson;^(AI)
rebuke the discerning, and he gains knowledge.^(AJ)

²⁶ The one who plunders his father and evicts his mother
is a disgraceful and shameful son.

²⁷ If you stop listening to correction, my son,
you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A worthless witness mocks justice,
and a wicked mouth swallows iniquity.^(AK)

²⁹ Judgments are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.^(AL)