Proverbs 19–20

Chapter 19

¹Better is a poor man that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

²Also that a person be without knowledge is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet maketh false steps.

³The folly of man distorteth his way, and his heart is irritated against Jehovah.

⁴Wealth addeth many friends; but the poor is separated from his friend.

⁵A false witness shall not be held innocent, and he that uttereth lies shall not escape.

⁶Many court the favour of a noble; and every one is friend to a man that giveth. ⁷All the brethren of a poor man hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him: he pursueth them with words, —they are not to be found.

⁸He that getteth sense loveth his own soul; he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

⁹A false witness shall not be held innocent, and he that uttereth lies shall perish.

¹⁰Good living beseemeth not a fool; how much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

¹¹The discretion of a man maketh him slow to anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

¹²The king’s displeasure is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.

¹³A foolish son is the calamity of his father; and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

¹⁴House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers; but a prudent wife is from Jehovah.

¹⁵Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and the idle soul shall suffer hunger.

¹⁶He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his soul; he that is careless of his ways shall die.

¹⁷He that is gracious to the poor lendeth unto Jehovah; and what he hath bestowed will he repay unto him.

¹⁸Chasten thy son, seeing there is hope; but set not thy soul upon killing him.

¹⁹A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment; for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.

²⁰Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

²¹Many are the thoughts in a man’s heart, but the counsel of Jehovah, that doth stand.

²²The charm of a man is his kindness; and a poor man is better than a liar.

²³The fear of Jehovah tendeth to life, and he that hath it shall rest satisfied without being visited with evil.

²⁴A sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, and will not even bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware; reprove the intelligent, and he will understand knowledge.

²⁶He that ruineth his father and chaseth away his mother is a son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach.

²⁷Cease, my son, to hear the instruction which causeth to stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A witness of Belial scorneth judgment, and the mouth of the wicked swalloweth down iniquity.

²⁹Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of the foolish.

Chapter 20

¹Wine is a scorner, strong drink is raging; and whoso erreth thereby is not wise.

²The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: he that provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

³It is an honour for a man to cease from strife; but every fool rusheth into it.

⁴The sluggard will not plough by reason of the winter; he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

⁵Counsel in the heart of man is deep water, and a man of understanding draweth it out.

⁶Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; but a faithful man who shall find?

⁷The righteous walketh in his integrity: blessed are his children after him!

⁸A king sitting on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

⁹Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

¹⁰Divers weights, divers measures, even both of them are abomination to Jehovah.

¹¹Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

¹²The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.

¹³Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴Bad! bad! saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

¹⁵There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious Jewel.

¹⁶Take his garment that is become surety for another, and hold him in pledge for strangers.

¹⁷Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

¹⁸Plans are established by counsel; and with good advice make war.

¹⁹He that goeth about talebearing revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth his lips.

²⁰Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.

²¹An inheritance obtained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed in the end.

²²Say not, I will recompense evil: wait on Jehovah, and he shall save thee.

²³Divers weights are an abomination unto Jehovah; and a false balance is not good.

²⁴The steps of a man are from Jehovah; and how can a man understand his own way?

²⁵It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is hallowed, and after vows to make inquiry.

²⁶A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

²⁷Man’s spirit is the lamp of Jehovah, searching all the inner parts of the belly.

²⁸Mercy and truth preserve the king; and he upholdeth his throne by mercy.

²⁹The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the grey head.

³⁰Wounding stripes purge away evil, and strokes purge the inner parts of the belly.