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19 Better to be a poor person who lives innocently
    than to be one who talks dishonestly and is a fool.
A person without knowledge is no good.
    A person in a hurry makes mistakes.
The stupidity of a person turns his life upside down,
    and his heart rages against Yahweh.
Wealth adds many friends,
    but a poor person is separated from his friend.

A lying witness will not go unpunished.
    One who tells lies will not escape.
Many try to win the kindness of a generous person,
    and everyone is a friend to a person who gives gifts.
The entire family of a poor person hates him.
    How much more do his friends keep their distance from him!
        When he chases them with words, they are gone.
A person who gains sense loves himself.
    One who guards understanding finds something good.
A lying witness will not go unpunished.
    One who tells lies will die.

10 Luxury does not fit a fool,
    much less a slave ruling princes.
11 A person with good sense is patient,
    and it is to his credit that he overlooks an offense.
12 The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion,
    but his favor is like dew on the grass.

A Foolish Son Brings Ruin to Others

13 A foolish son ruins his father,
    and a quarreling woman is like constantly dripping water.
14 Home and wealth are inherited from fathers,
    but a sensible wife comes from Yahweh.

15 Laziness throws one into a deep sleep,
    and an idle person will go hungry.
16 Whoever obeys the law preserves his life,
    but whoever despises Yahweh’s ways will be put to death.

17 Whoever has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh,
    and he will repay him for his good deed.
18 Discipline your son while there is still hope.
    Do not be the one responsible for his death.
19 A person who has a hot temper will pay for it.
    If you rescue him, you will have to do it over and over.
20 Listen to advice and accept discipline
    so that you may be wise the rest of your life.
21 Many plans are in the human heart,
    but the advice of Yahweh will endure.
22 Loyalty is desirable in a person,
    and it is better to be poor than a liar.

23 The fear of Yahweh leads to life,
    and such a person will rest easy without suffering harm.[a]
24 A lazy person puts his fork in his food.
    He doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth.
25 Strike a mocker, and a gullible person may learn a lesson.
    Warn an understanding person, and he will gain more knowledge.

Foolproof Instructions

26 A son who assaults his father and who drives away his mother
    brings shame and disgrace.
27 If you stop listening to instruction, my son,
    you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A worthless witness mocks justice,
    and the mouths of wicked people swallow up trouble.
29 Punishments are set for mockers
    and beatings for the backs of fools.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:23 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.

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