Proverbs 19

CHAPTER 19

The Counsel of Yahweh Will Stand

^1aBetter is a poor man who ^bwalks in his integrity

Than he who is crooked in lips and is a fool.

²Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,

And he who hurries ^1ahis footsteps sins.

³The ^afolly of man subverts his way,

But his heart ^brages against Yahweh.

^4aWealth adds many friends,

But a poor man is separated from his friend.

⁵A ^1afalse witness will not go unpunished,

And he who ^bbreathes out lies will not escape.

^6aMany will seek the favor of a noble man,

And everyone is a friend to a man who ^bgives gifts.

⁷All the brothers of a poor man hate him;

How much more do his ^afriends distance themselves from him!

He ^bpursues them with words, but they are no more.

⁸He who acquires a heart of wisdom loves his own soul;

He who keeps discernment will ^afind good.

⁹A ^1afalse witness will not go unpunished,

And he who breathes out lies will perish.

¹⁰Luxury is ^anot fitting for a fool;

Much less for a ^bslave to rule over princes.

¹¹A man’s ^ainsight makes him slow to anger,

And it is his honor ^bto overlook a transgression.

¹²The ^aking’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,

But his favor is like ^bdew on the grass.

¹³A ^afoolish son is destruction to his father,

And the ^bcontentions of a wife are a constant dripping.

¹⁴House and wealth are an ^ainheritance from fathers,

But a wife who has insight is from Yahweh.

^15aLaziness casts into a deep sleep,

And a slack-handed soul will suffer hunger.

¹⁶He who ^akeeps the commandment keeps his soul,

But he who despises his way will die.

¹⁷He who ^ais gracious to a poor man lends to Yahweh,

And He will repay him for his ^bbountiful deed.

^18aDiscipline your son while there is hope,

And do not ¹direct your soul to put him to death.

¹⁹A man of great wrath will bear the penalty,

For if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.

^20aListen to counsel and receive discipline,

That you may be wise in ¹the end of your days.

²¹Many ^1athoughts are in a man’s heart,

But it is the ^bcounsel of Yahweh that will stand.

²²What is desirable in a man is his lovingkindness,

And better is a poor man than a man of falsehood.

²³The ^1afear of Yahweh leads to life,

So that one may sleep ^bsatisfied, not ^cvisited by evil.

²⁴The ^asluggard buries his hand ^bin the dish,

But will not even bring it back to his mouth.

^25aStrike a scoffer and the simple may become prudent,

But ^breprove one who has understanding and he will understand knowledge.

²⁶He ^awho assaults his father and causes his mother to flee

Is a son who brings shame and humiliation.

²⁷Cease listening, my son, to discipline,

And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A vile witness scoffs at justice,

And the mouth of the wicked ^aswallows up iniquity.

²⁹¹Judgments are established for ^ascoffers,

And ^bbeatings for the back of fools.