Proverbs 19

19 Better a poor person who lives with integrityk

than someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool.

2 Even zeal is not good without knowledge,l

and the one who acts hastilyD sins.m

3 A person’s own foolishness leads him astray,

yet his heart rages against the Lord.n

4 Wealth attracts many friends,o

but a poor person is separated from his friend.

5 A false witness will not go unpunished,p

and one who utters lies will not escape.q

6 Many seek a ruler’s favor,r

and everyone is a friend of one who gives gifts.s

7 All the brothers of a poor person hate him;t

how much more do his friends

keep their distance from him!

He may pursue them with words,u

but they are not there.A

8 The one who acquires good senseB loves himself;

one who safeguards understanding finds success.v

9 A false witness will not go unpunished,

and one who utters lies perishes.w

10 Luxury is not appropriate for a foolx —

how much less for a slave to rule over princes!y

11 A person’s insight gives him patience,z

and his virtue is to overlook an offense.aa

12 A king’s rage is like the roaring of a lion,ab

but his favor is like dew on the grass.ac

13 A foolish son is his father’s ruin,ad

and a wife’s nagging is an endless dripping.ae

14 A house and wealth are inherited from fathers,af

but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

15 Laziness induces deep sleep,

and a lazy person will go hungry.ag

16 The one who keeps commands preserves himself;ah

one who disregardsC his ways will die.ai

17 Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord,a

and he will give a reward to the lender.D,b

18 Discipline your son while there is hope;

don’t set your heart on being the cause of his death.E,c

19 A person with intense anger bears the penalty;

if you rescue him, you’ll have to do it again.d

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction

so that you may be wise later in life.F,e

21 Many plans are in a person’s heart,

but the Lord’s decree will prevail.f

22 What is desirable in a person is his fidelity;

better to be a poor person than a liar.g

23 The fear of the Lord leads to life;

one will sleep at nightG without danger.h

24 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;

he doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth!i

25 Strike a mocker, and the inexperienced learn a lesson;j

rebuke the discerning, and he gains knowledge.k

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.l

29 Judgments are prepared for mockers,

and beatings for the backs of fools.m