Proverbs 19 (NASB2020)

On Life and Conduct

1Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity

Than a person who is perverse in 19:1 Lit his lipsspeech and is a fool.

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

And one who hurries 19:2 Lit with his feethis footsteps 19:2 Lit sinserrs.

3The foolishness of a person ruins his way,

And his heart rages against the Lord.

4Wealth adds many friends,

But a poor person is separated from his friend.

5A false witness will not go unpunished,

And one who declares lies will not escape.

6Many will seek the favor of a 19:6 Or noblegenerous person,

And every person is a friend to him who gives gifts.

7All the brothers of a poor person hate him;

How much more do his friends abandon him!

He pursues them with words, but they are 19:7 Lit notgone.

8One who gets 19:8 Lit heartwisdom loves his own soul;

One who keeps understanding will find good.

9A false witness will not go unpunished,

And one who declares lies will perish.

10Luxury is not fitting for a fool;

Much less for a slave to rule over princes.

11A person’s discretion makes him slow to anger,

And it is his glory to overlook an offense.

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

But his favor is like dew on the grass.

13A foolish son is destruction to his father,

And the quarrels of a wife are a constant dripping.

14House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,

But a prudent wife is from the Lord.

15Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,

And 19:15 Lit an idlea lazy 19:15 Lit soulperson will suffer hunger.

16One who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,

But one who 19:16 Lit despisesis careless of 19:16 Lit waysconduct will die.

17One who is gracious to a poor person lends to the Lord,

And He will repay him for his 19:17 Or benefitsgood deed.

18Discipline your son while there is hope,

And do not desire 19:18 Lit causing him to diehis death.

19 A person of great anger will suffer the penalty,

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

20Listen to advice and accept discipline,

So that you may be wise 19:20 Lit in your latter endthe rest of your days.

21Many plans are in a person’s heart,

But the advice of the Lord will stand.

22What is desirable in a person is his 19:22 Or loyaltykindness,

And it is better to be a poor person than a liar.

23 19:23 Or Reverence forThe fear of the Lord leads to life,

So that one may sleep satisfied, 19:23 Lit not visiteduntouched by evil.

24The 19:24 Lit idle personlazy one buries his hand in the dish,

But will not even bring it back to his mouth.

25Strike a scoffer and the naive may become clever,

But rebuke one who has understanding, and he will 19:25 Lit discerngain knowledge.

26He who assaults his father and drives his mother away

Is a shameful and disgraceful son.

27Stop listening, my son, to discipline,

And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28A worthless witness makes a mockery of justice,

And the mouth of the wicked 19:28 Another reading is pours outswallows wrongdoing.

29 19:29 LXX RodsJudgments are prepared for scoffers,

And beatings for the backs of fools.

Understand Proverbs 19

A verse-by-verse study of Proverbs 19: what the chapter is doing, and what three commentaries say about it. Written to be readable if this is new to you.

Read the Proverbs 19 commentary