Proverbs 19:3-29

3 A man's own foolishness leads him astray, yet his heart rages against the Lord.

4 Wealth attracts many friends, but a poor man is separated from his friend.^[a]

5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies will not escape.^[b]

6 Many seek the favor of a ruler,^[c] and everyone is a friend of one who gives gifts.^[d]

7 All the brothers of a poor man hate him; how much more do his friends keep their distance from him! He may pursue [them with] words, [but] they are not [there].^[e]

8 The one who acquires good sense^[f] loves himself; one who safeguards understanding finds success.

9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies perishes.^[g]

10 Luxury is not appropriate for a fool- how much less for a slave to rule over princes!^[h]

11 A person's insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.^[i]

12 A king's rage is like a lion's roar, but his favor is like dew on the grass.^[j]

13 A foolish son is his father's ruin,^[k] and a wife's nagging is an endless dripping.^[l]

14 A house and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a sensible wife is from the Lord.

15 Laziness induces deep sleep, and a lazy person will go hungry.^[m]

16 The one who keeps commands preserves himself; one who disregards^[n] his ways will die.^[o]

17 Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, and He will give a reward to the lender.^[p]

18 Discipline your son while there is hope; don't be intent on killing him.^{[q] [r]}

19 A person with great anger bears the penalty; if you rescue him, you'll have to do it again.^[s]

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction so that you may be wise in later life.^{[t] [u]}

21 Many plans are in a man's heart, but the Lord's decree will prevail.^[v]

22 A man's desire should be loyalty to the covenant; better to be a poor man than a perjurer.^[w]

23 The fear of the Lord leads to life; one will sleep at night^[x] without danger.^[y]

24 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he doesn't even bring it back to his mouth.^[z]

25 Strike a mocker, and the inexperienced learn a lesson; rebuke the discerning, and he gains knowledge.^[aa]

26 The one who assaults his father and evicts his mother is a disgraceful and shameful son.

27 If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A worthless witness mocks justice, and a wicked mouth swallows iniquity.

29 Judgments are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.^[ab]

Proverbs 19:3-29 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes

• [a] Pr 14:20; 19:6
• [b] Pr 19:9; 21:28
• [c] Pr 29:26
• [d] Pr 14:20; 17:8; 19:4
• [e] Hb uncertain in this line
• [f] Lit acquires a heart
• [g] Pr 19:5; 21:28
• [h] Pr 26:1
• [i] Pr 11:13; 17:9
• [j] Pr 20:2; 28:15
• [k] Pr 10:1; 17:25; 28:7
• [l] Pr 27:15
• [m] Pr 10:4; 13:4; 21:25
• [n] Or despises, or treats lightly
• [o] Pr 3:1-2; 4:4; 13:13
• [p] Lit to him
• [q] Lit don't lift up your soul to his death
• [r] Pr 23:13-14; 29:17
• [s] Pr 22:24-25; 29:22
• [t] Lit in your end
• [u] Pr 12:1; 15:5,31-32
• [v] Pr 16:1,9,33; 21:31
• [w] Pr 19:1; 28:6
• [x] Lit will spend the night satisfied
• [y] Pr 14:26-27
• [z] Pr 12:27; 26:14-15
• [aa] Pr 21:11
• [ab] Pr 10:13; 26:3