Proverbs 19
19
1Better to be a poor person who lives innocently
than to be one who talks dishonestly and is a fool.
2A person without knowledge is no good.
A person in a hurry makes mistakes.
3The stupidity of a person turns his life upside down,
and his heart rages against the Lord.
4Wealth adds many friends,
but a poor person is separated from his friend.
5A lying witness will not go unpunished.
One who tells lies will not escape.
6Many try to win the kindness of a generous person,
and everyone is a friend to a person who gives gifts.
7The entire family of a poor person hates him.
How much more do his friends keep their distance from him!
When he chases them with words, they are gone.
8A person who gains sense loves himself.
One who guards understanding finds something good.
9A lying witness will not go unpunished.
One who tells lies will die.
10Luxury does not fit a fool,
much less a slave ruling princes.
11A person with good sense is patient,
and it is to his credit that he overlooks an offense.
12The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
A Foolish Son Brings Ruin to Others
13A foolish son ruins his father,
and a quarreling woman is like constantly dripping water.
14Home and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a sensible wife comes from the Lord.
15Laziness throws one into a deep sleep,
and an idle person will go hungry.
16Whoever obeys the law preserves his life,
⌞but⌟ whoever despises the Lord’s ways will be put to death.
17Whoever has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will repay him for his good deed.
18Discipline your son while there is still hope.
Do not be the one responsible for his death.
19A person who has a hot temper will pay for it.
If you rescue him, you will have to do it over and over.
20Listen to advice and accept discipline
so that you may be wise the rest of your life.
21Many plans are in the human heart,
but the advice of the Lord will endure.
22Loyalty is desirable in a person,
and it is better to be poor than a liar.
23The fear of the Lord leads to life,
and such a person will rest easy without suffering harm.
24A lazy person puts his fork in his food.
He doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth.
25Strike a mocker, and a gullible person may learn a lesson.
Warn an understanding person, and he will gain more knowledge.
Foolproof Instructions
26A son who assaults his father ⌞and⌟ who drives away his mother
brings shame and disgrace.
27If you stop listening to instruction, my son,
you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28A worthless witness mocks justice,
and the mouths of wicked people swallow up trouble.
29Punishments are set for mockers
and beatings for the backs of fools.
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Proverbs 19: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 19
19
If You Quit Listening
1Better to be poor and honest
than a rich person no one can trust.
2Ignorant zeal is worthless;
haste makes waste.
3People ruin their lives by their own stupidity,
so why does God always get blamed?
4Wealth attracts friends as honey draws flies,
but poor people are avoided like a plague.
5Perjury won’t go unpunished.
Would you let a liar go free?
6Lots of people flock around a generous person;
everyone’s a friend to the philanthropist.
7When you’re down on your luck, even your family avoids you—
yes, even your best friends wish you’d get lost.
If they see you coming, they look the other way—
out of sight, out of mind.
8Grow a wise heart—you’ll do yourself a favor;
keep a clear head—you’ll find a good life.
9The person who tells lies gets caught;
the person who spreads rumors is ruined.
10Blockheads shouldn’t live on easy street
any more than workers should give orders to their boss.
11Smart people know how to hold their tongue;
their grandeur is to forgive and forget.
12Mean-tempered leaders are like mad dogs;
the good-natured are like fresh morning dew.
13A parent is worn to a frazzle by an irresponsible child;
a nagging spouse is a leaky faucet.
14House and land are handed down from parents,
but a congenial spouse comes straight from God.
15Life collapses on loafers;
lazybones go hungry.
16Keep the rules and keep your life;
careless living kills.
17Mercy to the needy is a loan to God,
and God pays back those loans in full.
18Discipline your children while you still have the chance;
indulging them destroys them.
19Let angry people endure the backlash of their own anger;
if you try to make it better, you’ll only make it worse.
20Take good counsel and accept correction—
that’s the way to live wisely and well.
21We humans keep brainstorming options and plans,
but God’s purpose prevails.
22It’s only human to want to make a buck,
but it’s better to be poor than a liar.
23Fear-of-God is life itself,
a full life, and serene—no nasty surprises.
24Some people dig a fork into the pie
but are too lazy to raise it to their mouth.
25Punish the insolent—make an example of them.
Who knows? Somebody might learn a good lesson.
26Kids who lash out against their parents
are an embarrassment and disgrace.
27If you quit listening, dear child, and strike off on your own,
you’ll soon be out of your depth.
28An unprincipled witness desecrates justice;
the mouths of the wicked spew malice.
29The irreverent have to learn reverence the hard way;
only a slap in the face brings fools to attention.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.