Proverbs 19

On Life and Conduct

1 ¹Better is a poor man who ²walks in his integrity Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

2 Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, And he who hurries ³his footsteps errs.

3 The ⁴foolishness of man ruins his way, And his heart ⁵rages against the LORD.

4 ⁶Wealth adds many friends, But a poor man is separated from his friend.

5 A ⁷false witness will not go unpunished, And he who ⁸tells lies will not escape.

6 ⁹Many will seek the favor of a generous man, And every man is a friend to him who ¹⁰gives gifts.

7 All the brothers of a poor man hate him; How much * more do his ¹¹friends abandon him! He ¹²pursues them with words, but they are gone.

8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will ¹³find good.

9 A ¹⁴false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will perish.

10 Luxury is ¹⁵not fitting for a fool; Much * less for a ¹⁶slave to rule over princes.

11 A man's ¹⁷discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory ¹⁸to overlook a transgression.

12 The ¹⁹king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like ²⁰dew on the grass.

13 A ²¹foolish son is destruction to his father, And the ²²contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.

14 House and wealth are an ²³inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD.

15 ²⁴Laziness casts into a deep sleep, And an idle man will suffer hunger.

16 He who ²⁵keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of conduct will die.

17 One who ²⁶is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for his ²⁷good deed.

18 ²⁸Discipline your son while there is hope, And do not desire * his death.

19 A man of great anger will bear the penalty, For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.

20 ²⁹Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days.

21 Many ³⁰plans are in a man's heart, But the ³¹counsel of the LORD will stand.

22 What is desirable in a man is his kindness, And it is better to be a poor man than a liar *.

23 The ³²fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep ³³satisfied, ³⁴untouched * by evil.

24 The ³⁵sluggard buries his hand ³⁶in the dish, But will not even bring it back to his mouth.

25 ³⁷Strike a scoffer and the naive may become shrewd, But ³⁸reprove one who has understanding and he will gain knowledge.

26 He ³⁹who assaults his father and drives his mother away Is a shameful and disgraceful son.

27 Cease listening, my son, to discipline, And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A rascally witness makes a mockery of justice, And the mouth of the wicked ⁴⁰spreads iniquity.

29 Judgments are prepared for ⁴¹scoffers, And ⁴²blows 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?

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 28:6
• 2. Psalms 26:11; Proverbs 14:2; Proverbs 20:7
• 3. Proverbs 21:5; Proverbs 28:20; Proverbs 29:20
• 4. Proverbs 11:3
• 5. Isaiah 8:21
• 6. Proverbs 14:20
• 7. Exodus 23:1; Deuteronomy 19:16-19; Proverbs 19:9; Proverbs 21:28
• 8. Proverbs 6:19
• 9. Proverbs 29:26
• 10. Proverbs 18:16; Proverbs 21:14
• 11. Psalms 38:11
• 12. Proverbs 18:23
• 13. Proverbs 16:20
• 14. Proverbs 19:5; Daniel 6:24
• 15. Proverbs 17:7; Proverbs 26:1; Ecclesiastes 10:6, 7
• 16. Proverbs 30:22
• 17. Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 16:32
• 18. Matthew 5:44; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13
• 19. Proverbs 16:14
• 20. Genesis 27:28; Deuteronomy 33:28; Psalms 133:3; Hosea 14:5; Micah 5:7
• 21. Proverbs 17:25
• 22. Proverbs 21:9, 19; Proverbs 27:15
• 23. 2 Corinthians 12:14
• 24. Proverbs 6:9, 10; Proverbs 24:33
• 25. Proverbs 13:13; Proverbs 16:17; Luke 10:28; Luke 11:28
• 26. Deuteronomy 15:7, 8; Proverbs 14:31; Proverbs 28:27; Ecclesiastes 11:1, 2; Matthew 10:42; Matthew 25:40; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Hebrews 6:10
• 27. Proverbs 12:14; Luke 6:38
• 28. Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 23:13; Proverbs 29:15, 17
• 29. Proverbs 4:1; Proverbs 8:33; Proverbs 12:15
• 30. Proverbs 16:1, 9
• 31. Psalms 33:10, 11; Isaiah 14:26, 27
• 32. Proverbs 14:27; 1 Timothy 4:8
• 33. Psalms 25:13
• 34. Psalms 91:10; Proverbs 12:21
• 35. Proverbs 26:15
• 36. Matthew 26:23; Mark 14:20
• 37. Proverbs 21:11
• 38. Proverbs 9:8
• 39. Proverbs 28:24
• 40. Job 15:16; Job 20:12, 13; Job 34:7
• 41. Psalms 1:1; Proverbs 9:12
• 42. Proverbs 10:13; Proverbs 18:6; Proverbs 26:3

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "his lips"
• [b]. Lit "with his feet"
• [c]. Lit "sins"
• [d]. Lit "breathes"
• [e]. Or "noble"
• [f]. Lit "not"
• [g]. Lit "heart"
• [h]. Lit "breathes"
• [i]. Lit "soul"
• [j]. Lit "despises"
• [k]. Lit "ways"
• [l]. Or "benefits"
• [m]. Lit "causing him to die"
• [n]. Lit "in your latter end"
• [o]. Or "loyalty"
• [p]. Or "reverence"
• [q]. Lit "not visited"
• [r]. Lit "simple"
• [s]. Lit "discern"
• [t]. Or "swallows"
• [u]. Gr "Rods"

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.