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The Priorities of Life Contrasted

19 A poor man who walks blamelessly is better
than a fool who speaks perversely.

Furthermore, it isn’t good to be ignorant,[a]
    and whoever rushes into things[b] misses the mark.
A man’s foolishness ruins his life,[c]
    yet his heart rages against the Lord.

Wealth brings many friends,
    but a poor man is deserted by his friend.

A witness to lies will not go unpunished;
    the teller of falsehoods will not escape.

Many curry favor of an official;
    everyone is a friend of the gift giver.

All the relatives of a poor person shun him—
    how much more do his friends avoid him!
Though he runs after them pleading,
    they aren’t around.

Whoever obtains wisdom loves himself,
    and whoever treasures understanding will prosper.

A witness to lies will not go unpunished;
    the teller of falsehoods will perish.

10 It’s not fitting for a fool to live in luxury;
    neither is it for a servant to rule over princes.

11 A person’s discretion makes him slow to anger,
    and it is to his credit that he ignores an offence.

12 The king’s anger is like the roaring of a lion,
    but his goodwill is like dew on the grass.

13 A father’s ruin is a foolish son,
    and a wife’s quarreling is like[d] dripping water that never stops.
14 A house and self-sufficiency are a father’s inheritance,
    but from the Lord comes an insightful wife.

15 Laziness puts one to sleep,
    and an idle person will go hungry.

16 Whoever obeys a commandment keeps himself safe,[e]
    but someone who is contemptuous in conduct[f] will die.

17 Whoever is kind to the poor is lending to the Lord
    the benefit of his gift will return to him in abundance.

18 Discipline your son while there is still hope—
    but don’t set your heart on his destruction.
19 The person who has great anger must pay the consequences,
    because if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,
    and you’ll be wise for the rest of your life.[g]

21 Many plans occupy the mind[h] of a man,
    but the Lord’s purposes will prevail.[i]
22 Human beings long for grace,
    and it’s better to be poor than a man of deceit.

23 The fear of the Lord leads[j] to life;
    whoever is satisfied with it will rest,
        untouched by evil.

24 The lazy person buries his hand in his dish
    and doesn’t bother to bring it back to his mouth.

25 If you scourge a scoffer,
    the simple person may learn to be discreet;
rebuke a discerning man
    and he will gain understanding.

26 Whoever mistreats his father
    and alienates his mother
        is a son who brings both shame and disrespect.

27 My son, if you stop listening to instruction,
    you will stray from the principles of knowledge.

28 A corrupt witness[k] mocks justice,
    and the wicked person feeds on iniquity.

29 Condemnation is appropriate for mockers,
    just as beatings are for the backs of fools.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:2 Lit. good for an ignorant soul
  2. Proverbs 19:2 Lit. whoever hurries with his feet
  3. Proverbs 19:3 Lit. way
  4. Proverbs 19:13 The Heb. lacks like
  5. Proverbs 19:16 Lit. keeps his soul
  6. Proverbs 19:16 Lit. in his way
  7. Proverbs 19:20 The Heb. lacks of your life
  8. Proverbs 19:21 Lit. heart
  9. Proverbs 19:21 Or will be established
  10. Proverbs 19:23 The Heb. lacks leads
  11. Proverbs 19:28 I.e. a worthless person

19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than a fool whose lips are perverse.(A)

Desire without knowledge is not good—
    how much more will hasty feet miss the way!(B)

A person’s own folly(C) leads to their ruin,
    yet their heart rages against the Lord.(D)

Wealth attracts many friends,
    but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(E)

A false witness(F) will not go unpunished,(G)
    and whoever pours out lies will not go free.(H)

Many curry favor with a ruler,(I)
    and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.(J)

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)

The one who gets wisdom loves life;
    the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.(M)

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.

12 A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,(R)
    but his favor is like dew(S) on the grass.(T)

13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(U)
    and a quarrelsome wife is like
    the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(V)

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

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

  1. Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
  2. Proverbs 19:22 Or Greed is a person’s shame