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19 It is better to be poor and honest than to be a liar and a fool.

Being excited about something is not enough. You must also know what you are doing. Don’t rush into something, or you might do it wrong.

People ruin their lives with the foolish things they do, and then they blame the Lord for it.

Wealth will bring you many friends, but become poor and your friends will leave you.

A witness who lies will be punished; that liar will not escape.

Many people are nice to a generous person. Everyone wants to be friends with someone who gives gifts.

If you are poor, your family will turn against you, and your friends will avoid you even more. You might beg them for help, but no one will come to help you.

Be a friend to yourself; do all you can to be wise. Try hard to understand, and you will be rewarded.

A witness who lies will be punished. That liar will be destroyed.

10 A fool should not be rich, and a slave should not rule over princes.

11 Experience makes you more patient, and you are most patient when you ignore insults.

12 The shouts of an angry king are like a roaring lion, but his kind words are like a gentle rain falling softly on the grass.

13 A foolish son brings a flood of troubles to his father, and a complaining wife is like the constant dripping of water.

14 People receive houses and money from their parents, but a good wife is a gift from the Lord.

15 Laziness brings on sleep, and an appetite for rest brings on hunger.

16 Obey the law and live; ignore it and die.

17 Giving help to the poor is like loaning money to the Lord. He will pay you back for your kindness.

18 Discipline your children while there is still hope. Avoiding it can be deadly.

19 People who are quick to become angry must pay the price. Protect them from punishment, and they become worse.

20 Listen to advice and accept discipline; then you, too, will become wise.

21 People might make many plans, but what the Lord says is what will happen.

22 People want a friend they can trust. It is better to be poor than to be a liar.

23 Respect the Lord and you will have a good life, one that is satisfying and free from trouble.

24 Some people are too lazy to take care of themselves. They will not even lift the food from their plate to their mouth.

25 Punish a rude, arrogant person, and even slow learners will become wiser. But just a little correction is enough to teach a person who has understanding.

26 Those who would steal from their father and chase away their mother are disgusting, shameful people.

27 My son, if you stop listening to instructions, you will keep making stupid mistakes.

28 Using a criminal as a witness makes a joke of justice. People like that only want to do wrong.

29 People who show no respect for anything must be brought to justice. You must punish such fools.

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