New Living Translation
Restore columns
Exit full screen

Chapter 19

Better to be poor and honest

than to be dishonest and a fool.

Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good;

haste makes mistakes.

People ruin their lives by their own foolishness

and then are angry at the Lord.

Wealth makes many “friends”;

poverty drives them all away.

A false witness will not go unpunished,

nor will a liar escape.

Many seek favors from a ruler;

Everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!

The relatives of the poor despise them;

how much more will their friends avoid them!

Though the poor plead with them,

their friends are gone.

To acquire wisdom is to love oneself;

people who cherish understanding will prosper.

A false witness will not go unpunished,

and a liar will be destroyed.

10 It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury

or for a slave to rule over princes!

11 Sensible people control their temper;

they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.

12 The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar,

but his favor is like dew on the grass.

13 A foolish child* is a calamity to a father;

a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.

14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth,

but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.

15 Lazy people sleep soundly,

but idleness leaves them hungry.

16 Keep the commandments and keep your life;

despising them leads to death.

17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord

and he will repay you!

18 Discipline your children while there is hope.

Otherwise you will ruin their lives.

19 Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty.

If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.

20 Get all the advice and instruction you can,

so you will be wise the rest of your life.

21 You can make many plans,

but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.

22 Loyalty makes a person attractive.

It is better to be poor than dishonest.

23 Fear of the Lord leads to life,

bringing security and protection from harm.

24 Lazy people take food in their hand

but don’t even lift it to their mouth.

25 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson;

if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.

26 Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother

are an embarrassment and a public disgrace.

27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child,

you will turn your back on knowledge.

28 A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice;

the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

29 Punishment is made for mockers,

and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.

NLT

About New Living Translation

The Holy Bible, New Living Translation provides a wonderful balance of readability and authority. It is easy to understand, poetically beautiful, powerful, and emotive. At the same time, due to the careful work of ninety leading Bible scholars, it is accurate to the original Greek and Hebrew text. The New Living Translation makes the Bible accessible, useful, and enjoyable for every situation. The easy-to-read, clear text is perfect for comparative study of difficult passages.

Copyright

Copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 Tyndale Charitable Trust. All rights reserved.

The text of the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio) up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided that the verses quoted do not account for more than 25 percent of the work in which they are quoted, and provided that a complete book of the Bible is not quoted.

When the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, is quoted, one of the following credit lines must appear on the copyright page or title page of the work:

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

When quotations of the NLT text are used in nonsalable media, such as church bulletins, orders of service, newsletters, transparencies, or similar media, a complete copyright notice is not required, but the initials NLT must appear at the end of each quotation.

Quotations in excess of five hundred (500) verses or 25 percent of the work, or other permission requests, must be approved in writing by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Send requests by e-mail to: permission@tyndale.com or call 630-668-8300, ext. 8817.

Publication of any commentary or other Bible reference work produced for commercial sale that uses the New Living Translation requires written permission for use of the NLT text.

TYNDALE, New Living Translation, NLT, and the New Living Translation logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Support Info

nlt

Table of Contents
Loading...