Proverbs19
New American Standard
1Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity Than a person who is perverse in speech and is a fool.
2Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, And one who hurries his footsteps errs.
3The foolishness of a person ruins his way, And his heart rages against the Lord.
4Wealth adds many friends, But a poor person is separated from his friend.
5A false witness will not go unpunished, And one who declares lies will not escape.
6Many will seek the favor of a generous person, And every person is a friend to him who gives gifts.
7All the brothers of a poor person hate him; How much more do his friends abandon him! He pursues them with words, but they are gone.
8One who gets wisdom loves his own soul; One who keeps understanding will find good.
9A false witness will not go unpunished, And one who declares lies will perish.
10Luxury is not fitting for a fool; Much less for a slave to rule over princes.
11A person’s discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12A king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass.
13A foolish son is destruction to his father, And the quarrels of a wife are a constant dripping.
14House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And a lazy person will suffer hunger.
16One who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But one who is careless of conduct will die.
17One who is gracious to a poor person lends to the Lord, And He will repay him for his good deed.
18Discipline your son while there is hope, And do not desire his death.
19A person of great anger will suffer the penalty, For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
20Listen to advice and accept discipline, So that you may be wise the rest of your days.
21Many plans are in a person’s heart, But the advice of the Lord will stand.
22What is desirable in a person is his kindness, And it is better to be a poor person than a liar.
23The fear of the Lord leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.
24The lazy one buries his hand in the dish, But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25Strike a scoffer and the naive may become clever, But rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26He who assaults his father and drives his mother away Is a shameful and disgraceful son.
27Stop listening, my son, to discipline, And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28A worthless witness makes a mockery of justice, And the mouth of the wicked swallows wrongdoing.
29Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of fools.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Proverbs 19.
v1
A poor man who fears God, is more honourable and happy, than a man without wisdom and grace, however rich or advanced in rank.
v2
What good can the soul do, if without knowledge? And he sins who will not take time to ponder the path of his feet.
v3
Men run into troubles by their own folly, and then fret at the appointments of God.
Key Words
טוֹב: good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
רוּשׁ: to be destitute
הָלַךְ: to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
תֹּם: completeness; figuratively, prosperity; usually (morally) innocence
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
עִקֵּשׁ: distorted; hence, false
שָׂפָה: the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)
כְּסִיל: properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly
לֹא: not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
דַּעַת: knowledge
Cross References
Proverbs 19Direct parallel confirming integrity in poverty is better than perverse wealth.
Supported by JFB
Parallels deferring anger and passing over offenses as a man's glory.
Supported by JFB
Identifies timely chastisement as genuine parental love rather than destructive sparing.
Supported by JFB
Illustrates the intolerable disruption when a servant rules over princes.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Compares the terrifying wrath of a king to a roaring lion.
Supported by JFB
Confirms human devices fail against the sovereign counsel of the Lord.
Supported by JFB
Uses identical ironic imagery of a sluggard burying his hand in a dish.
Supported by JFB
Underlines how wealth attracts companions while the poor are shunned.
Supported by JFB
Parallels getting wisdom with loving and keeping one's own soul.
Supported by JFB
Repeats the solemn warning that a false witness will not escape punishment.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Points to a foolish son being a grief and calamity to his parents.
Supported by JFB
Reinforces that showing mercy and pity to the poor brings blessing.
Supported by JFB
Law concerning stubborn, rebellious, and abusive children who shame parents.
Supported by JFB
Shows how godliness and the fear of God tend to life and satisfaction.
Supported by JFB
Affirms that God scorns mockers and prepares judgments for them.
Supported by JFB