Proverbs 19

19Better a poor person walking in integrity

than one who is perverse in his speech^a and is a fool.

²Also, a life^b without knowledge is not good,

and he who moves quickly with his feet misses the mark.^c

³As for the folly of humankind, its way leads to ruin,

and against Yahweh his heart^d will rage.

⁴Wealth adds many friends,

but the poor will be left by his friends.

⁵A witness of falsehood will not go unpunished,

and he who breathes lies will not escape.

⁶Many will seek favor before the generous,

and everyone is the friend of a man of gifts.^e

⁷All the brothers of the poor, if they hate him,

how much more will his friends keep away from him.

He pursues them with words, and they are gone.^f

⁸He who acquires wisdom loves himself;^g

he who guards understanding loves to find good.

⁹A false witness will not go unpunished,

and he who breathes lies will perish.

¹⁰For a fool living in luxury is not fitting,

any more than it is for a slave to rule over princes.

¹¹The understanding of a person makes him slow to his anger,^h

and his glory overlooks offense.

¹²The rage of a king growls like a lion,

but his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³A foolish child is a ruin to his father,

and the quarreling of a womanⁱ is a continuous dripping.

¹⁴A house and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,

but from Yahweh comes a woman^j who is prudent.

¹⁵Laziness will bring on a deep sleep,

and a person^k of idleness will suffer hunger.

¹⁶He who guards commandments guards his life;^l

he who is careless of his ways will be killed.

¹⁷He who lends to Yahweh is he who is kind to the poor,

and his benefits he will repay to him.

¹⁸Discipline your child, for there is hope,

but on his destruction do not set your desire.^m

¹⁹A hot-tempered person pays a penalty;

if you rescue him, you will do it yet again.

²⁰Listen to advice and accept instruction

so that you will gain wisdom for your future.ⁿ

²¹Many plans are in the heart^o of a man,

but the purpose of Yahweh will be established.

²²The craving of a man is his steadfast loyalty,

and it is better to be poor than a liar.^p

²³Fear of Yahweh leads to life;

he who is filled with it will rest—he will not suffer harm.

²⁴A lazy person buries his hand in the dish,

and even to his mouth he will not bring it back.

²⁵The scoffer you shall strike, and the simple, may they learn prudence,

and reprove the intelligent and he will gain knowledge.

²⁶He who does violence to a father, he who chases away a mother,

is a child who causes shame and brings reproach.

²⁷Cease to listen to instruction, my child,

and you will stray^q from sayings of knowledge.

²⁸A worthless witness will mock justice,

and the mouth of the wicked will devour iniquity.

²⁹Judgments^r are prepared for the scoffers,

and flogging for the back of fools.