Proverbs 19 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

Pro 19:1

Pro 19:1Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.

Pro 19:2

Pro 19:2Desire[fn] without knowledge is not good,
and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.

Pro 19:3

Pro 19:3When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,
his heart rages against the LORD.

Pro 19:4

Pro 19:4Wealth brings many new friends,
but a poor man is deserted by his friend.

Pro 19:5

Pro 19:5A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who breathes out lies will not escape.

Pro 19:6

Pro 19:6Many seek the favor of a generous man,[fn]
and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

Pro 19:7

Pro 19:7All 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.[fn]

Pro 19:8

Pro 19:8Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will discover good.

Pro 19:9

Pro 19:9A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who breathes out lies will perish.

Pro 19:10

Pro 19:10It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for a slave to rule over princes.

Pro 19:11

Pro 19:11Good sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Pro 19:12

Pro 19:12A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.

Pro 19:13

Pro 19:13A foolish son is ruin to his father,
and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.

Pro 19:14

Pro 19:14House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

Pro 19:15

Pro 19:15Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep,
and an idle person will suffer hunger.

Pro 19:16

Pro 19:16Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life;
he who despises his ways will die.

Pro 19:17

Pro 19:17Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD,
and he will repay him for his deed.

Pro 19:18

Pro 19:18Discipline your son, for there is hope;
do not set your heart on putting him to death.

Pro 19:19

Pro 19:19A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.

Pro 19:20

Pro 19:20Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Pro 19:21

Pro 19:21Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.

Pro 19:22

Pro 19:22What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
and a poor man is better than a liar.

Pro 19:23

Pro 19:23The fear of the LORD leads to life,
and whoever has it rests satisfied;
he will not be visited by harm.

Pro 19:24

Pro 19:24The sluggard buries his hand in the dish
and will not even bring it back to his mouth.

Pro 19:25

Pro 19:25Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

Pro 19:26

Pro 19:26He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
is a son who brings shame and reproach.

Pro 19:27

Pro 19:27Cease to hear instruction, my son,
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

Pro 19:28

Pro 19:28A worthless witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

Pro 19:29

Pro 19:29Condemnation is ready for scoffers,
and beating for the backs of fools.

See the ESV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

ESV Footnotes

(19:2)

Or A soul

(19:6)

Or of a noble

(19:7)

The meaning of the Hebrew sentence is uncertain

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For more information on this translation, see the ESV Preface.