On Life and Conduct

19 (A)Better is a poor person who (B)walks in his integrity
Than a person who is perverse in [a]speech and is a fool.
Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And one who hurries [b](C)his footsteps [c]errs.
The (D)foolishness of a person ruins his way,
And his heart (E)rages against the Lord.
(F)Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor person is separated from his friend.
A (G)false witness will not go unpunished,
And one who (H)declares lies will not escape.
(I)Many will seek the favor of a [d]generous person,
And every person is a friend to (J)him who gives gifts.
All the brothers of a poor person hate him;
How much more do his (K)friends abandon him!
He (L)pursues them with words, but they are [e]gone.
One who gets [f]wisdom loves his own soul;
One who keeps understanding will (M)find good.
A (N)false witness will not go unpunished,
And one who declares lies will perish.
10 Luxury is (O)not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a (P)slave to rule over princes.
11 A person’s (Q)discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory (R)to overlook an offense.
12 A (S)king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like (T)dew on the grass.
13 A (U)foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the (V)quarrels of a wife are a constant dripping.
14 House and wealth are an (W)inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 (X)Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And [g]a lazy [h]person will suffer hunger.
16 One who (Y)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But one who [i]is careless of [j]conduct will die.
17 One who (Z)is gracious to a poor person lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his [k](AA)good deed.
18 (AB)Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire [l]his death.
19 A person of great anger will suffer the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
20 (AC)Listen to advice and accept discipline,
So that you may be wise [m]the rest of your days.
21 Many (AD)plans are in a person’s heart,
But the (AE)advice of the Lord will stand.
22 What is desirable in a person is his [n]kindness,
And it is better to be a poor person than a liar.
23 [o]The (AF)fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep (AG)satisfied, [p](AH)untouched by evil.
24 The [q](AI)lazy one buries his hand (AJ)in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 (AK)Strike a scoffer and the naive may become clever,
But (AL)rebuke one who has understanding, and he will [r]gain knowledge.
26 He (AM)who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.
27 Stop listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness makes a mockery of justice,
And the mouth of the wicked [s](AN)swallows wrongdoing.
29 [t]Judgments are prepared for (AO)scoffers,
And (AP)beatings for the backs of fools.

On Life and Conduct

20 (AQ)Wine is a mocker, (AR)intoxicating drink a brawler,
And whoever [u]is intoxicated by it is not wise.
The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
One who provokes him to anger [v](AS)forfeits his own life.
(AT)Avoiding strife is an honor for a person,
But any fool will [w]quarrel.
The [x](AU)lazy one does not plow after the autumn,
So he [y]begs during the harvest and has nothing.
A plan in the heart of a person is like deep water,
But a person of understanding draws it out.
Many a person (AV)proclaims his own loyalty,
But who can find a (AW)trustworthy person?
A righteous person who (AX)walks in his integrity—
(AY)How blessed are his sons after him.
(AZ)A king who sits on the throne of justice
[z]Disperses all evil with his eyes.
(BA)Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am pure from my sin”?
10 [aa](BB)Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the Lord.
11 It is by his deeds that a boy [ab](BC)distinguishes himself,
If his conduct is pure and right.
12 The hearing (BD)ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made both of them.
13 (BE)Do not love sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with [ac]food.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.
15 There is gold, and an abundance of [ad]jewels;
But lips of knowledge are a more precious thing.
16 Take his garment when he becomes guarantor for a stranger;
And for foreigners, seize a pledge from him.
17 (BF)Bread obtained by a lie is sweet to a person,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 Prepare (BG)plans by consultation,
And (BH)make war by wise guidance.
19 One who (BI)goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with [ae](BJ)a gossip.
20 He who (BK)curses his father or his mother,
His (BL)lamp will go out in time of darkness.
21 An inheritance gained in a hurry at the beginning
Will not be blessed in the end.
22 (BM)Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
(BN)Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.
23 [af](BO)Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And a [ag](BP)false scale is not good.
24 (BQ)A man’s steps are ordained by the Lord;
How then can a person understand his way?
25 It is a trap for a person to say carelessly, “It is holy!”
And (BR)after the vows to make inquiry.
26 A (BS)wise king scatters the wicked,
And [ah]drives a (BT)threshing wheel over them.
27 The [ai](BU)spirit of a person is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the [aj]innermost parts of his being.
28 [ak]Loyalty and (BV)truth watch over the king,
And he upholds his throne by [al]loyalty.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
And the [am](BW)honor of old men is their gray hair.
30 (BX)Bruising wounds clean away evil,
And blows cleanse the [an]innermost parts.

On Life and Conduct

21 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He (BY)turns it wherever He pleases.
(BZ)Every person’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord (CA)examines the hearts.
To do (CB)righteousness and justice
Is preferred by the Lord more than sacrifice.
Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
The (CC)lamp of the wicked, is sin.
The plans of the (CD)diligent certainly lead to advantage,
But everyone (CE)who is in a hurry certainly comes to poverty.
The (CF)acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the [ao]pursuit of (CG)death.
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
Because they (CH)refuse to act with justice.
The way of a guilty person is (CI)crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.
It is better to live on a corner of a roof
Than [ap]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His (CJ)neighbor is shown no compassion in his eyes.
11 When the (CK)scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise;
But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12 The [aq]righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Bringing the (CL)wicked to ruin.
13 One who (CM)shuts his ear to the outcry of the poor
Will also call out himself, and not be (CN)answered.
14 A (CO)gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe [ar]in an inside pocket, strong wrath.
15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
But (CP)terror to those who practice injustice.
16 A person who wanders from the way of understanding
Will (CQ)rest in the assembly of the [as]dead.
17 One who (CR)loves pleasure will become a poor person;
One who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
18 The wicked is a (CS)ransom for the righteous,
And the (CT)treacherous is in the place of the upright.
19 (CU)It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and irritating woman.
20 There is precious (CV)treasure and oil in the home of the wise,
But a foolish person (CW)swallows it up.
21 One who (CX)pursues righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A (CY)wise person scales the city of the mighty
And brings down the [at]stronghold in which they trust.
23 One who (CZ)guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles.
24 “Proud,” “Arrogant,” “(DA)Scoffer,” are his names,
One who acts with (DB)insolent pride.
25 The (DC)desire of the [au]lazy one puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
26 All day long he [av]is craving,
While the righteous (DD)gives and does not hold back.
27 The (DE)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with evil intent!
28 A (DF)false witness will perish,
But a person who listens will speak forever.
29 A wicked person [aw](DG)displays a bold face,
But as for the (DH)upright, he makes his way sure.
30 There is (DI)no wisdom, no understanding,
And no [ax]plan against the Lord.
31 The (DJ)horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But the (DK)victory belongs to the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:1 Lit his lips
  2. Proverbs 19:2 Lit with his feet
  3. Proverbs 19:2 Lit sins
  4. Proverbs 19:6 Or noble
  5. Proverbs 19:7 Lit not
  6. Proverbs 19:8 Lit heart
  7. Proverbs 19:15 Lit an idle
  8. Proverbs 19:15 Lit soul
  9. Proverbs 19:16 Lit despises
  10. Proverbs 19:16 Lit ways
  11. Proverbs 19:17 Or benefits
  12. Proverbs 19:18 Lit causing him to die
  13. Proverbs 19:20 Lit in your latter end
  14. Proverbs 19:22 Or loyalty
  15. Proverbs 19:23 Or Reverence for
  16. Proverbs 19:23 Lit not visited
  17. Proverbs 19:24 Lit idle person
  18. Proverbs 19:25 Lit discern
  19. Proverbs 19:28 Another reading is pours out
  20. Proverbs 19:29 LXX Rods
  21. Proverbs 20:1 Lit errs
  22. Proverbs 20:2 Lit sins against
  23. Proverbs 20:3 Lit burst out
  24. Proverbs 20:4 Lit idle
  25. Proverbs 20:4 Lit asks
  26. Proverbs 20:8 Or Sifts
  27. Proverbs 20:10 Lit A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah
  28. Proverbs 20:11 Or makes himself known
  29. Proverbs 20:13 Lit bread
  30. Proverbs 20:15 Or corals
  31. Proverbs 20:19 Lit one who opens his lips
  32. Proverbs 20:23 Lit A stone and a stone
  33. Proverbs 20:23 Lit balance of deceit
  34. Proverbs 20:26 Lit turns
  35. Proverbs 20:27 Lit breath
  36. Proverbs 20:27 Lit chambers of the body
  37. Proverbs 20:28 I.e., covenant loyalty
  38. Proverbs 20:28 I.e., covenant loyalty
  39. Proverbs 20:29 Or splendor
  40. Proverbs 20:30 Lit chambers of the body
  41. Proverbs 21:6 Lit seekers
  42. Proverbs 21:9 Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association
  43. Proverbs 21:12 Or Righteous One
  44. Proverbs 21:14 Lit a fold in a robe; i.e., secretly
  45. Proverbs 21:16 Lit departed spirits
  46. Proverbs 21:22 Lit strength of trust
  47. Proverbs 21:25 Lit idle
  48. Proverbs 21:26 Lit desires desire
  49. Proverbs 21:29 Lit makes firm with his face
  50. Proverbs 21:30 Or advice

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