Proverbs 19

1  a Better is a poor person who b walks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
 2 Desire ▼
▼ Or A soul
 without knowledge is not good,
and whoever d makes haste with his feet misses his way.
 3 When a man’s folly e brings his way to ruin,
his heart f rages against the  Lord.
 4  g Wealth brings many new friends,
h but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
 5  i A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who j breathes out lies will not escape.
 6 Many seek the favor of a generous man ▼
▼ Or  of a noble

and everyone is a friend to a man who gives l gifts.
 7  m All a poor man’s brothers hate him;
n how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them. ▼
▼ The meaning of the Hebrew sentence is uncertain

 8  p Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will q discover good.
 9  r A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who s breathes out lies will perish.
 10  t It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for u a slave to rule over princes.
 11  v Good sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
 12 A king’s wrath is like w the growling of a lion,
but his x favor is like y dew on the grass.
 13  z A foolish son is ruin to his father,
and aa a wife’s quarreling is ab a continual dripping of rain.
 14  ac House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is ad from the  Lord.
 15  ae Slothfulness casts into af a deep sleep,
and ag an idle person will suffer hunger.
 16 Whoever ah keeps the commandment keeps his life;
he who despises his ways will die.
 17  ai Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the  Lord,
and he aj will repay him for his ak deed.
 18  al Discipline your son, for there is hope;
do not set your heart on am putting him to death.
 19 A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
 20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom in an the future.
 21  ao Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but ap it is the purpose of the  Lord aq that will stand.
 22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
and a poor man is better than a liar.
 23 The fear of the  Lord ar leads to life,
and whoever has it rests as satisfied;
he will at not be visited by harm.
 24  au The sluggard buries his hand in av the dish
and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
 25  aw Strike ax a scoffer, and the simple will ay learn prudence;
az reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
 26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
is ba a son who brings shame and reproach.
 27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
bb and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
 28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked bc devours iniquity.
 29 Condemnation is ready for bd scoffers,
and be beating for the backs of fools.
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