Proverbs 19

19Better ^ais the poor who walks in his integrity

Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

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

And he sins who hastens with his feet.

³The foolishness of a man twists his way,

And his heart frets against the Lord.

^4bWealth makes many friends,

But the poor is separated from his friend.

⁵A ^cfalse witness will not go unpunished,

And he who speaks lies will not escape.

⁶Many entreat the favor of the nobility,

And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.

^7dAll the brothers of the poor hate him;

How much more do his friends go ^efar from him!

He may pursue them with words, yet they ¹abandon him.

⁸He who gets ²wisdom loves his own soul;

He who keeps understanding ^fwill find good.

⁹A false witness will not go unpunished,

And he who speaks lies shall perish.

¹⁰Luxury is not fitting for a fool,

Much less ^gfor a servant to rule over princes.

^11hThe discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,

ⁱAnd his glory is to overlook a transgression.

^12jThe king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,

But his favor is ^klike dew on the grass.

^13lA foolish son is the ruin of his father,

^mAnd the contentions of a wife are a continual ³dripping.

¹⁴ⁿHouses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,

But ^oa prudent wife is from the Lord.

^15pLaziness casts one into a deep sleep,

And an idle person will ^qsuffer hunger.

^16rHe who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,

But he who ⁴is careless of his ways will die.

^17sHe who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,

And He will pay back what he has given.

^18tChasten your son while there is hope,

And do not set your heart ⁵on his destruction.

¹⁹A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;

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

²⁰Listen to counsel and receive instruction,

That you may be wise ^uin your latter days.

²¹There are many plans in a man’s heart,

^vNevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.

²²What is desired in a man is ⁶kindness,

And a poor man is better than a liar.

^23wThe fear of the Lord leads to life,

And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;

He will not be visited with evil.

^24xA lazy man buries his hand in the ⁷bowl,

And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵Strike a scoffer, and the simple ^ywill become wary;

^zRebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

²⁶He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother

Is ^aa son who causes shame and brings reproach.

²⁷Cease listening to instruction, my son,

And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A ⁸disreputable witness scorns justice,

And ^bthe mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

²⁹Judgments are prepared for scoffers,

^cAnd beatings for the backs of fools.