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

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

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

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

⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished,
and one who utters lies will not escape.

⁶ Many seek a ruler’s favor,
and everyone is a friend of one who gives gifts.

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

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

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

¹⁰ Luxury is not appropriate for a fool—
how much less for a slave to rule over princes!

¹¹ A person’s insight gives him patience,
and his virtue is to overlook an offense.

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

¹³ A foolish son is his father’s ruin,
and a wife’s nagging is an endless dripping.

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

¹⁵ Laziness induces deep sleep,
and a lazy person will go hungry.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

²⁵ Strike a mocker, and the inexperienced learn a lesson;
rebuke the discerning, and he gains knowledge.

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.

²⁹ Judgments are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.