Proverbs 19:1-29
1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.
4 Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
5 A false witness shall not be unpunished,a and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
6 Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to himb that giveth gifts.
7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.
8 He that getteth wisdomc loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.
9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.
10 Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11 The discretiond of a man deferreth 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 favour 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: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.
15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.
17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless 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 tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
24 A slothful man hideth 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 beware:e and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.
26 He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.
27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.
28 An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.
29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.
Proverbs 19. A shrewd turn of sarcasm in Proverbs 19:3 suggests the attitude of practical wisdom towards that questioning of the moral government of the world which we find in Job.
Proverbs 19:1. fool: read rich, as in Proverbs 28:6.
Proverbs 19:2 a. Both RV and RVm are unsound grammatically. The lit. rendering shows that the clause is defective, Also without knowledge of the soul. is not good. Some verb expressing action is required.
Proverbs 19:2 b. sinneth: read mg. The idea is more haste less speed.
Proverbs 19:7 c is defective and untranslateable. RVm approaches the lit. rendering, which is he who pursues words, they are not. It is clearly part of a lost couplet.
Proverbs 19:8. wisdom: lit. heart (mg.), cf. Psalms 90:12.
Proverbs 19:12. The reference to the royal anger (cf. Proverbs 20:2) suits such conspicuous wrath as is depicted in Esther in the Persian period better than the earlier period of the Jewish monarchy.
Proverbs 19:13 b. cf. Proverbs 27:15.
Proverbs 19:15. deep sleep: the word is generally used for the sleep of a trance (Genesis 2:21 *), or supernatural sleep. The faculties are benumbed through disuse.
Proverbs 19:16 b. RVm gives the lit. sense; RV is a paraphrase. Read the word for his ways (cf. Proverbs 13:13).
Proverbs 19:19. Many explanations and emendations have been proposed, but none are satisfactory. Frankenberg's may be nearest to the original sense, A man who is fined is very angry, but if he shew contempt (of court) he has to pay more.
Proverbs 19:22. The want of connexion between the clauses and the words the RV has had to supply, show the hopeless state of the text. The only possible way of establishing a connexion is by the interpretation that a poor man who desires to show kindness but cannot, is better than a rich man who pretends that he is unable to do so. But this forces too much into the text. The LXX has Almsgiving is fruit to a man, and a righteous poor man is better than a rich liar. The connexion lies in the later identification of righteousness with almsgiving.