Add parallel Print Page Options

19 It is better to be poor and honest
    than to be foolish and tell lies.

Enthusiasm without knowledge is not good.
    If you act too quickly, you might make a mistake.

A person’s own foolishness ruins his life.
    But in his mind he blames the Lord for it.

Wealthy people are always finding more friends.
    But the poor lose their friends.

A witness who lies will be punished.
    An untruthful person will not be left unpunished.

Many people want to please a leader.
    And everyone is friends with those who give gifts.

A poor person’s relatives avoid him.
    Even his friends stay far away!
He runs after them, begging.
    But they are gone.

The person who gets wisdom is good to himself.
    And the one who has understanding will succeed.

A witness who lies will be punished.
    An untruthful person will die.

10 No foolish person should live in luxury.
    No slave should rule over princes!

11 A wise person is patient.
    He will be honored if he ignores a wrong done against him.

12 A king’s anger scares people like the roar of a lion.
    But his kindness is as pleasant as the dew on the grass.

13 A foolish son will ruin his father.
    And a quarreling wife is as bothersome as dripping water.

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents.
    But a wise wife is a gift from the Lord.

15 Lazy people sleep a lot.
    Idle people will go hungry.

16 Whoever obeys the commands protects his life.
    Whoever is careless in what he does will die.

17 Being kind to the poor is like lending to the Lord.
    The Lord will reward you for what you have done.

18 Correct your son while there is still hope.
    Do not help him destroy himself.

19 A person who is always getting angry will pay for it.
    If you help him, you will have to do it again and again.

20 Listen to advice and accept correction.
    Then in the end you will be wise.

21 People can make many different plans.
    But only the Lord’s plan will happen.

22 People want others to be loyal.
    So it is better to be poor than to be a liar.

23 Those who respect the Lord will live
    and be content, unbothered by trouble.

24 The lazy person may put his hand in the dish,
    but he won’t lift the food to his mouth!

25 Whip a person who makes fun of wisdom, and then foolish people will learn how to think.
    Just correct a smart man, and he will gain knowledge.

26 A son who robs his father and sends away his mother
    brings shame and disgrace on himself.

27 Don’t stop listening to correction, my child.
    If you do, you will not obey what you have already learned.

28 An evil witness makes fun of fairness.
    And wicked people love what is evil.

29 People who make fun of wisdom will be punished.
    And the backs of foolish people will be beaten.

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