Proverbs · Catholic Public Domain Version
Proverbs 19 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 Better is the poor who walks in his simplicity, than the rich who twists his lips and is unwise.
1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
2 Where there is no knowledge of the soul, there is no good. And whoever hurries with his feet will stumble.
2 It isn’t good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty with one’s feet and miss the way.
3 The foolishness of a man undermines his steps. And then he seethes in his soul against God.
3 The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against Yahweh.
4 Riches add many friends. But from the pauper, even those whom he had become separated.
4 Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend.
5 A false witness shall not go unpunished. And whoever speaks lies will not escape.
5 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free.
6 Many honor the character of one who is powerful, and there are friends for a giver of gifts.
6 Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
7 The brothers of the poor man hate him. Moreover, even his friends have withdrawn far from him. Whoever pursues only words shall have nothing.
7 All the relatives of the poor shun him; how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone.
8 But whoever possesses reason loves his own soul. And one who guards prudence shall discover good things.
8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good.
9 A false witness shall not go unpunished. And whoever speaks lies will perish.
9 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish.
10 Fine things are not fitting for the foolish, nor is it fitting for a servant to rule over princes.
10 Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11 The doctrine of a man is known through patience. And his glory is to pass beyond iniquities.
11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 Like the roaring of a lion, so also is the wrath of a king. And his cheerfulness is like the dew upon the grass.
12 The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish son is the grief of his father. And an argumentative wife is like a roof that is continually leaking.
13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife’s quarrels are a continual dripping.
14 A house and its riches are given by parents. But a prudent wife is particularly from the Lord.
14 House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh.
15 Laziness sends one into a deep sleep, and a dissolute soul will go hungry.
15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger.
16 Whoever guards a commandment guards his own soul. But whoever neglects his own way will die.
16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die.
17 Whoever is merciful to the poor lends to the Lord. And he will repay him for his efforts.
17 He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him.
18 Teach your son; do not despair. But do not set your soul toward putting him to death.
18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; don’t be a willing party to his death.
19 Whoever is impatient will sustain damage. And when it has been taken away, he will set up another.
19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again.
20 Listen to counsel and take up discipline, so that you may be wise in your latter days.
20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end.
21 There are many intentions in the heart of a man. But the will of the Lord shall stand firm.
21 There are many plans in a man’s heart, but Yahweh’s counsel will prevail.
22 An indigent man is merciful. And a pauper is better than a deceitful man.
22 That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord is unto life. And he shall linger in plentitude, without being visited by disaster.
23 The fear of Yahweh leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble.
24 The lazy conceals his hand under his arm, and he will not so much as bring it to his mouth.
24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 When the pestilent are scourged, the foolish will become wiser. But if you chastise the wise, he will understand discipline.
25 Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 Whoever afflicts his father and flees from his mother is disreputable and unhappy.
26 He who robs his father and drives away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.
27 Son, do not cease listening to doctrine, and do not be ignorant of the sermons of knowledge.
27 If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 An unjust witness ridicules judgment. And the mouth of the impious devours iniquity.
28 A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity.
29 Judgments are prepared for those who ridicule. And striking hammers are prepared for the bodies of the foolish.
29 Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools.
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 28:6; Proverbs 16:8; Matthew 16:26; Proverbs 19:22; Proverbs 14:2
- 2 Proverbs 21:5; Proverbs 29:20; Philippians 1:9; Ecclesiastes 7:9; Isaiah 28:16
- 3 Revelation 16:9–11; Psalm 37:7; Proverbs 11:3; 1 Samuel 22:13–23; 2 Chronicles 16:9–10
- 4 Proverbs 14:20; Proverbs 19:6–7; Luke 15:13–15; Job 19:13–17; Proverbs 10:15
- 5 Proverbs 21:28; Proverbs 6:19; Exodus 23:1; Proverbs 19:9; Daniel 6:24
- 6 Proverbs 29:26; Proverbs 18:16; Proverbs 17:8; Genesis 42:6; Romans 6:23
- 7 Psalm 88:8; Proverbs 18:23; 1 John 3:17–18; Psalm 38:11; Proverbs 19:4
- 8 Proverbs 16:20; Proverbs 8:35–36; Proverbs 4:6; Proverbs 3:18; 1 Peter 3:10
- 9 Revelation 22:15; Proverbs 19:5; Revelation 19:20; 2 Peter 2:1–3; Revelation 21:8
- 10 Proverbs 30:21–22; Proverbs 26:1; Luke 16:19; Luke 16:23; James 4:9
- 11 Proverbs 16:32; Proverbs 14:29; James 1:19; Colossians 3:12–13; Proverbs 15:18
- 12 Hosea 14:5; Proverbs 20:2; Luke 12:4–5; Proverbs 16:14–15; Proverbs 28:15
- 13 Proverbs 21:9; Proverbs 27:15; Proverbs 25:24; Proverbs 10:1; Proverbs 17:21
- 14 Proverbs 18:22; Proverbs 31:10–31; Proverbs 13:22; Proverbs 3:6; James 1:17
- 15 Proverbs 23:21; Proverbs 20:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:10; Proverbs 6:9–10; Romans 13:11–12
- 16 Proverbs 13:13; Luke 10:28; 1 John 5:3; Luke 11:28; 1 John 3:22
- 17 Proverbs 28:27; Hebrews 6:10; Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6–8; Matthew 25:40
- 18 Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 29:15; Proverbs 22:15; Proverbs 23:13–14; Hebrews 12:7–10
- 19 Proverbs 25:28; 1 Samuel 24:17–22; Proverbs 29:22; 2 Samuel 16:5–6; Proverbs 22:24–25
- 20 Proverbs 12:15; Proverbs 8:34–35; Proverbs 2:1–9; Proverbs 1:8; Proverbs 4:1
- 21 Proverbs 16:9; Isaiah 14:24; Proverbs 16:1; Psalm 33:10–11; Isaiah 46:10
- 22 2 Corinthians 8:12; 2 Chronicles 6:8; Mark 14:6–8; Mark 12:41–44; Proverbs 19:1
- 23 Matthew 5:6; Proverbs 14:26–27; Isaiah 58:10–11; Proverbs 12:21; 1 Timothy 4:8
- 24 Proverbs 15:19; Proverbs 6:9–10; Proverbs 26:13–16; Proverbs 24:30–34; Proverbs 19:15
- 25 Proverbs 21:11; Proverbs 17:10; Revelation 3:19; Proverbs 15:5; Proverbs 9:8–10
- 26 Proverbs 10:5; Proverbs 28:24; Proverbs 30:17; Proverbs 17:2; Proverbs 17:25
- 27 1 Timothy 6:3–5; Mark 4:24; 1 John 4:1; Proverbs 14:7; Matthew 7:15
- 28 Job 15:16; Luke 18:2–4; Acts 6:11–13; Job 34:7; 1 Kings 21:13
- 29 Proverbs 26:3; Proverbs 10:13; Proverbs 9:12; 2 Peter 3:3–7; Acts 13:40–41
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For even as God does not need our possessions, so do we need to offer something to God; as Solomon says: "He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord." For God, who stands in need of nothing, takes our good works to Himself for this purpose, that He may grant us a recompense of His own good …
He Himself hath said, "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth to God." Thou hast lent to God: put it to His account.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For "he that showeth mercy to a poor man," it is said, "lendeth to the Lord." He gave thee also an earnest, and bail, and this being God!
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)