The Proverbs

Chapter 19

Various observations of moral virtues, and their contrary vices, 1-29.

1  Better is the poor who walks in his integrity,/
than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.

2  Also, for the soul to be without knowledge, it is not good./
And he who hastens with his feet sins.

3  The foolishness of man perverts his way,/
and his heart frets against the LORD.

4  Wealth makes many friends,/
but the poor is separated from his neighbor.

5  A false witness shall not be unpunished,/
and he who speaks lies shall not escape.

6  Many will entreat the favor of the prince./
And every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.

7  All the brothers of the poor hate him./
How much more do his friends go far from him?/
He pursues them with words, yet they are no more.

8  He who gets wisdom loves his own soul./
He who keeps understanding shall find good.

9  A false witness shall not be unpunished,/
and he who speaks lies shall perish.

10 Delight is not appropriate for a fool,/
much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

11 The discretion of a man defers his anger,/
and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

12 The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion,/
but his favor is as dew upon the grass.

13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father,/
and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers,/
but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep,/
and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his own soul,/
but he who despises his ways shall die.

17 He who has pity upon the poor lends to the LORD,/
and that which he has given he will pay him back.

18 Chasten your son while there is hope,/
and do not let your soul spare for his crying.

19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment,/
for if you deliver him, yet you must do it again.

20 Hear counsel and receive instruction/
so that you may be wise in your latter end.

21 There are many devices in a man's heart,/
but the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

22 The desire of a man is his kindness./
And a poor man is better than a liar.

23 The fear of the LORD tends to life,/
and he who has it shall abide satisfied./
He shall not be visited with evil.

24 A slothful man hides his hand in his bosom,/
and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

25 Smite a scorner and the simple will take heed./
And reprove one who has understanding and he will understand knowledge.

26 He who wastes his father and chases away his mother/
is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction/
that causes you to err from the words of knowledge.

28 An ungodly witness scorns judgment,/
and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

29 Judgments are prepared for scorners,/
and stripes for the back of fools.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Proverbs, Chapter 19[➚]

Notes

John Gill's Chapter Summary:

From the tenth chapter to the twenty-fifth are various proverbial sentences without any very apparent connection or coherence with each other, describing righteous and wicked men, setting forth their different temper, conduct, and actions, and the fruits and effects of them. It should be observed, that frequently in the preceding chapters two persons are represented as women: one goes by the name of "Wisdom," the other is called the "foolish" woman and a "harlot," the former is clearly to be understood of Christ, and the latter, being opposed to him, must be antichrist, the whore of Rome and mother of harlots. Now in the following part of this book two sorts of persons are spoken of, the one as wise, righteous, good, etc., and the other as foolish, wicked, etc., who are no other than the followers of Christ and antichrist, which observation is a key to the whole book.

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