Proverbs 19

1 Better a poor person walking in integrity than one who is perverse {in his speech} and is a fool.

2 Also, a life without knowledge is not good, and he who moves quickly with [his] feet {misses the mark}.

3 As for the folly of humankind, its way leads to ruin, and against Yahweh his heart will rage.

4 Wealth adds many friends, but the poor will be left by his friends.

5 A witness of falsehood will not go unpunished, and he who breathes lies will not escape.

6 Many will seek favor before the generous, and everyone [is] the friend of a man of gifts.

7 All the brothers of the poor, [if] they hate him, how much more will his friends keep away from him. He pursues [them with] words, [and] they are gone.

8 He who acquires wisdom loves himself; he who guards understanding [loves] to find good.

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

10 For a fool living in luxury is not fitting, [any] more [than it is] for a slave to rule over princes.

11 The understanding of a person makes him slow to his {anger}, and his glory overlooks offense.

12 The rage of a king growls like a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

13 A foolish child is a ruin to his father, and the quarreling of a woman is a continuous dripping.

14 A house and wealth [are] an inheritance [from] fathers, but from Yahweh [comes] a woman who is prudent.

15 Laziness will bring on a deep sleep, and a person of idleness will suffer hunger.

16 He who guards commandments guards his life; he who is careless of his ways will be killed.

17 He who lends to Yahweh [is] he who is kind to the poor, and his benefits he will repay to him.

18 Discipline your child, for there is hope, but on his destruction do not set your desire.

19 A hot-tempered person pays a penalty; if you rescue [him], you will do [it] yet again.

20 Listen [to] advice and accept instruction so that you will gain wisdom for your {future}.

21 Many plans [are] in the heart of a man, but the purpose of Yahweh will be established.

22 The craving of a man [is] his steadfast loyalty, and [it is] better [to be] poor than a {liar}.

23 Fear of Yahweh [leads] to life; he who is filled [with it] will rest--he will not suffer harm.

24 A lazy person buries his hand in the dish, and even to his mouth he will not bring it back.

25 The scoffer you shall strike, and the simple, may they learn prudence, and reprove the intelligent [and] he will gain knowledge.

26 He who does violence to a father, he who chases away a mother, [is] a child who causes shame and brings reproach.

27 Cease to listen to instruction, my child, {and you will stray} from sayings of knowledge.

28 A worthless witness will mock justice, and the mouth of the wicked will devour iniquity.

29 Judgments are prepared for the scoffers, and flogging for the back of fools.

Proverbs 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

Verse 1 A poor man who fears God, is more honourable and happy, than a man without wisdom and grace, however rich or advanced in rank. Verse 2 . What good can the soul do, if without knowledge? And he sins who will not take time to ponder the path of his feet. Verse 3 . Men run into troubles by their own folly, and then fret at the appointments of God. Verse 4 . Here we may see how strong is men's love of money. Verse 5 . Those that tell lies in discourse, are in a fair way to be guilty of bearing false-witness. Verse 6 . We are without excuse if we do not love God with all our hearts. His gifts to us are past number, and all the gifts of men to us are fruits of his bounty. Verse 7 . Christ was left by all his disciples; but the Father was with him. It encourages our faith that he had so large an experience of the sorrows of poverty. Verse 8 . Those only love their souls aright that get true wisdom. Verse 9 . Lying is a damning, destroying sin. Verse 10 . A man that has not wisdom and grace, has no right or title to true joy. It is very unseemly for one who is a servant to sin, to oppress God's free-men. Verse 11 . He attains the most true glory who endeavours most steadily to overcome evil with good. Verse 12 . Christ is a King, whose wrath against his enemies will be as the roaring of a lion, and his favour to his people as the refreshing dew. Verse 13 . It shows the vanity of the world, that we are liable to the greatest griefs where we promise ourselves the greatest comfort. Verse 14 . A discreet and virtuous wife is more valuable than house and riches. Verse 15 . A sluggish, slothful disposition makes men poor; it brings them to want. And this applies both to the present life and that which is to come. Verse 16 . If we keep God's word, God's word will keep us from every thing really hurtful. We abuse the doctrine of free grace, if we think that it does away the necessity and advantage of obedience. Those that live at random must die. This truth is clearly taught in words enough to alarm the stoutest sinner. Verse 17 . God has chosen the poor of this world, to be rich in faith, and heirs of his kingdom. Verse 18 . When parents keep under foolish tenderness, they do their best to render children a comfort to them, and happy in themselves. Verse 19 . The spared and spoiled child is likely to become a man of great wrath. Verse 20 . Those that would be wise in their latter end, must be taught and ruled when young. Verse 21 . What should we desire, but that all our purposes may agree with God's holy will? Verse 22 . It is far better to have a heart to do good, and want ability for it, than to have ability for it, and want a heart to it. Verse 23 . Those that live in the fear of God, shall get safety, satisfaction, and true and complete happiness. Verse 24 . Indolence, when indulged, so grows upon people, that they have no heart to do the most needful things for themselves. Verse 25 . A gentle rebuke goes farthest with a man of understanding. Verse 26 . The young man who wastes his father's substance, or makes his aged mother destitute, is hateful, and will come to disgrace. Verse 27 . It is the wisdom of young men to dread hearing such talk as puts loose and evil principles into the mind. Verse 28 . Those are the worst of sinners, who are glad of an opportunity to sin. Verse 29 . The unbelief of man shall not make God's threatenings of no effect. Christ himself, when bearing sins not his own, was not spared. Justice and judgment took hold of our blessed Surety; and will God spare obstinate sinners?

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "in his lips"
• [b]. Or "soul," or "inner self"
• [c]. Or "sins"
• [d]. Or "mind"
• [e]. Hebrew "gift"
• [f]. Or "[when] he pursues words [and] not them"
• [g]. Or "soul," or "inner self"
• [h]. Literally "nostril"
• [i]. Or "wife"
• [j]. Or "wife"
• [k]. Or "soul," or "life"
• [l]. Or "soul," or "inner self"
• [m]. Or "soul," or "inner self"
• [n]. Literally "after [things]"
• [o]. Or "mind"
• [p]. Literally "man of lying"
• [q]. Literally "[in order] to stray"
• [r]. Or "Punishments," or "Condemnations"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 8

This chapter gives an account of the introduction of the ark into the temple, 1Ki 8:1-9 of the glory of the Lord filling it, 1Ki 8:10,11 of a speech Solomon made to the people concerning the building of the temple, and how he came to be engaged in it, 1Ki 8:12-21, of a prayer of his he put up on this occasion, requesting, that what supplications soever were made at any time, or on any account, by Israelites or strangers, might be accepted by the Lord, 1Ki 8:22-53, and of his blessing the people of Israel at the close of it, with some useful exhortations, 1Ki 8:54-61, and of the great number of sacrifices offered up by him, and the feast he made for the people, upon which he dismissed them, 1Ki 8:62-66.