Proverbs, 19

1. Better the poor living an honest life than the adept at double-talk who is a fool.

1. Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a man who is perverse in speech, and is a fool.

2. Where knowledge is wanting, zeal is not good; whoever goes too quickly stumbles.

2. It is not good for a man to be without knowledge, and he who makes haste with his feet misses his way.

3. Folly leads conduct astray, yet it is against Yahweh that the heart rages.

3. When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD.

4. Wealth multiplies friends, but the one friend the poor has is taken away.

4. Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.

5. The false witness will not go unpunished, no one who utters lies will go free.

5. A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who utters lies will not escape.

6. The nobleman has many to court his favour, to a giver of gifts, everyone is friend.

6. Many seek the favor of a generous man, and every one is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

7. The poor man's brothers hate him, every one; his friends -- how much the more do these desert him! He goes in search of words, but there are none to be had.

7. All a poor man's brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them.

8. Whoever acquires sense wins profit from it, whoever treasures understanding finds happiness.

8. He who gets wisdom loves himself; he who keeps understanding will prosper.

9. The false witness will not go unpunished, whoever utters lies will be destroyed.

9. A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who utters lies will perish.

10. It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, still less for a slave to govern princes.

10. It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.

11. Good sense makes for self-control, and for pride in overlooking an offence.

11. Good sense makes a man slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

12. Like the roaring of a lion, the anger of a king, but like dew on the grass his favour.

12. A king's wrath is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew upon the grass.

13. A foolish child is a disaster for the father, the bickerings of a wife are like an ever-dripping gutter.

13. A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.

14. From fathers comes inheritance of house and wealth, from Yahweh a wife who is discreet.

14. House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

15. Idleness lulls to sleep, the feckless soul will go hungry.

15. Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.

16. Keeping the commandment is self-preservation, but whoever despises these ways will die.

16. He who keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises the word will die.

17. Whoever is kind to the poor is lending to Yahweh who will repay him the kindness done.

17. He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.

18. While there is hope for him, chastise your child, but do not get so angry as to kill him.

18. Discipline your son while there is hope; do not set your heart on his destruction.

19. The violent lays himself open to a penalty; spare him, and you aggravate his crime.

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, accept correction, to be the wiser in the time to come.

20. Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom for the future.

21. Many are the plans in the human heart, but the purpose of Yahweh -- that stands firm.

21. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will be established.

22. Faithful love is what people look for in a person; they prefer the poor to a liar.

22. What is desired in a man is loyalty, and a poor man is better than a liar.

23. The fear of Yahweh leads to life, it brings food and shelter, without fear of evil.

23. The fear of the LORD leads to life; and he who has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.

24. Into the dish the idler dips his hand, but bring it back to his mouth he cannot.

24. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, and will not even bring it back to his mouth.

25. Strike a cynic, and simpletons will be more wary; reprove the intelligent and he will understand your meaning.

25. Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

26. He who ill-treats his father and drives out his mother is a child both worthless and depraved.

26. He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

27. Give up listening to instruction, my child, if you mean to stray from words of knowledge.

27. Cease, my son, to hear instruction only to stray from the words of knowledge.

28. A perjured witness holds the law in scorn; the mouth of the wicked feasts on evil-doing.

28. A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

29. Punishments were made for mockers, and beating for the backs of fools.

29. Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and flogging for the backs of fools.