Proverbs 19

1 Better to be poor and live one's life uprightly than engage in crooked speech, for such a one is a fool.

2 To act without knowing how you function is not good; and if you rush ahead, you will miss your goal.

3 A person's own folly is what ruins his way, but he rages in his heart against ADONAI.

4 Wealth brings in many friends, but the poor man loses the one friend he has.

5 A false witness will not go unpunished; whoever breathes out lies will not escape.

6 Many ask favors of a generous person -to a giver of gifts, everyone is a friend.

7 A poor man's relatives all hate him; even more his friends stay away from him. He may pursue them with entreaties, but they aren't there to be found.

8 To acquire good sense is to love oneself; to treasure discernment is to prosper.

9 A false witness will not go unpunished; whoever breathes out lies will perish.

10 It isn't fitting for a fool to live in luxury, and even less for a slave to govern princes.

11 People with good sense are slow to anger, and it is their glory to overlook an offense.

12 A king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

13 A son who is a fool is his father's ruin, and a nagging wife is like a leak that keeps dripping.

14 A house and wealth are inherited from ancestors, but a sensible wife is from ADONAI.

15 Laziness makes people fall asleep, and an idle person will go hungry.

16 He who keeps a mitzvah keeps himself safe, but he who doesn't care how he lives will die.

17 He who is kind to the poor is lending to ADONAI; and he will repay him for his good deed.

18 Discipline your child while there is hope, but don't get so angry that you kill him!

19 A violent-tempered person will be punished; if you try to save him from it, you make things worse.

20 Listen to advice, and accept discipline, so that in the end you will be wise.

21 One can devise many plans in one's mind, but ADONAI's plan will prevail.

22 A man's lust is his shame, and a poor man is better than a liar.

23 The fear of ADONAI leads to life; one who has it is satisfied and rests untouched by evil.

24 The lazy person buries his hand in the dish but doesn't even bother to bring it to his mouth.

25 If you strike a scorner, the simple will learn to act wisely; if you reprove the intelligent, he will understand what you mean.

26 One who mistreats his father and evicts his mother is a son who brings them shame and disgrace.

27 My son, if you stop heeding discipline, you will stray from the principles of knowledge.

28 A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked swallows wrongdoing.

29 Judgments are in store for scorners and blows for the backs 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?

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.