Proverbs 19-21

New International Version

19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than a fool whose lips are perverse.^(A)

² Desire without knowledge is not good—
    how much more will hasty feet miss the way!^(B)

³ A person’s own folly^(C) leads to their ruin,
    yet their heart rages against the Lord.^(D)

⁴ Wealth attracts many friends,
    but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.^(E)

⁵ A false witness^(F) will not go unpunished,^(G)
    and whoever pours out lies will not go free.^(H)

⁶ Many curry favor with a ruler,^(I)
    and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.^(J)

⁷ The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
    how much more do their friends avoid them!^(K)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
    they are nowhere to be found.^[a](L)

⁸ The one who gets wisdom loves life;
    the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.^(M)

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and whoever pours out lies will perish.^(N)

¹⁰ It is not fitting for a fool^(O) to live in luxury—
    how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!^(P)

¹¹ A person’s wisdom yields patience;^(Q)
    it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

¹² A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,^(R)
    but his favor is like dew^(S) on the grass.^(T)

¹³ A foolish child is a father’s ruin,^(U)
    and a quarrelsome wife is like
    the constant dripping of a leaky roof.^(V)

¹⁴ Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,^(W)
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.^(X)

¹⁵ Laziness brings on deep sleep,
    and the shiftless go hungry.^(Y)

¹⁶ Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
    but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.^(Z)

¹⁷ Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,^(AA)
    and he will reward them for what they have done.^(AB)

¹⁸ Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
    do not be a willing party to their death.^(AC)

¹⁹ A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
    rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept discipline,^(AD)
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.^(AE)

²¹ Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.^(AF)

²² What a person desires is unfailing love^[b];
    better to be poor than a liar.

²³ The fear of the Lord leads to life;
    then one rests content, untouched by trouble.^(AG)

²⁴ A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he will not even bring it back to his mouth!^(AH)

²⁵ Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
    rebuke the discerning,^(AI) and they will gain knowledge.^(AJ)

²⁶ Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother^(AK)
    is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

²⁷ Stop listening to instruction, my son,^(AL)
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.^(AM)

²⁹ Penalties are prepared for mockers,
    and beatings for the backs of fools.^(AN)

20 Wine^(AO) is a mocker^(AP) and beer a brawler;
    whoever is led astray^(AQ) by them is not wise.^(AR)

² A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;^(AS)
    those who anger him forfeit their lives.^(AT)

³ It is to one’s honor to avoid strife,
    but every fool^(AU) is quick to quarrel.^(AV)

⁴ Sluggards^(AW) do not plow in season;
    so at harvest time they look but find nothing.^(AX)

⁵ The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,^(AY)
    but one who has insight draws them out.

⁶ Many claim to have unfailing love,
    but a faithful person who can find?^(AZ)

⁷ The righteous lead blameless lives;^(BA)
    blessed are their children after them.^(BB)

⁸ When a king sits on his throne to judge,^(BC)
    he winnows out all evil with his eyes.^(BD)

⁹ Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;^(BE)
    I am clean and without sin”?^(BF)

¹⁰ Differing weights and differing measures—
    the Lord detests them both.^(BG)

¹¹ Even small children are known by their actions,
    so is their conduct really pure^(BH) and upright?

¹² Ears that hear and eyes that see—
    the Lord has made them both.^(BI)

¹³ Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;^(BJ)
    stay awake and you will have food to spare.

¹⁴ “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—
    then goes off and boasts about the purchase.

¹⁵ Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
    but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

¹⁶ Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
    hold it in pledge^(BK) if it is done for an outsider.^(BL)

¹⁷ Food gained by fraud tastes sweet,^(BM)
    but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.^(BN)

¹⁸ Plans are established by seeking advice;
    so if you wage war, obtain guidance.^(BO)

¹⁹ A gossip betrays a confidence;^(BP)
    so avoid anyone who talks too much.

²⁰ If someone curses their father or mother,^(BQ)
    their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.^(BR)

²¹ An inheritance claimed too soon
    will not be blessed at the end.

²² Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”^(BS)
    Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.^(BT)

²³ The Lord detests differing weights,
    and dishonest scales do not please him.^(BU)

²⁴ A person’s steps are directed^(BV) by the Lord.^(BW)
    How then can anyone understand their own way?^(BX)

²⁵ It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
    and only later to consider one’s vows.^(BY)

²⁶ A wise king winnows out the wicked;
    he drives the threshing wheel over them.^(BZ)

²⁷ The human spirit is^[c] the lamp of the Lord^(CA)
    that sheds light on one’s inmost being.^(CB)

²⁸ Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
    through love^(CC) his throne is made secure.^(CD)

²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
    gray hair the splendor of the old.^(CE)

³⁰ Blows and wounds scrub^(CF) away evil,
    and beatings^(CG) purge the inmost being.

21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
    that he channels toward all who please him.^(CH)

² A person may think their own ways are right,
    but the Lord weighs the heart.^(CI)

³ To do what is right and just
    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^(CJ)

⁴ Haughty eyes^(CK) and a proud heart—
    the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.

⁵ The plans of the diligent lead to profit^(CL)
    as surely as haste leads to poverty.

⁶ A fortune made by a lying tongue
    is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.^[d](CM)

⁷ The violence of the wicked will drag them away,^(CN)
    for they refuse to do what is right.

⁸ The way of the guilty is devious,^(CO)
    but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

⁹ Better to live on a corner of the roof
    than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.^(CP)

¹⁰ The wicked crave evil;
    their neighbors get no mercy from them.

¹¹ When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;
    by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.^(CQ)

¹² The Righteous One^[e] takes note of the house of the wicked
    and brings the wicked to ruin.^(CR)

¹³ Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor
    will also cry out^(CS) and not be answered.^(CT)

¹⁴ A gift given in secret soothes anger,
    and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.^(CU)

¹⁵ When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
    but terror to evildoers.^(CV)

¹⁶ Whoever strays from the path of prudence
    comes to rest in the company of the dead.^(CW)

¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
    whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.^(CX)

¹⁸ The wicked become a ransom^(CY) for the righteous,
    and the unfaithful for the upright.

¹⁹ Better to live in a desert
    than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.^(CZ)

²⁰ The wise store up choice food and olive oil,
    but fools gulp theirs down.

²¹ Whoever pursues righteousness and love
    finds life, prosperity^[f](DA) and honor.^(DB)

²² One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty^(DC)
    and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.

²³ Those who guard their mouths^(DD) and their tongues
    keep themselves from calamity.^(DE)

²⁴ The proud and arrogant person^(DF)—“Mocker” is his name—
    behaves with insolent fury.

²⁵ The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,^(DG)
    because his hands refuse to work.
²⁶ All day long he craves for more,
    but the righteous^(DH) give without sparing.^(DI)

²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable^(DJ)—
    how much more so when brought with evil intent!^(DK)

²⁸ A false witness^(DL) will perish,^(DM)
    but a careful listener will testify successfully.

²⁹ The wicked put up a bold front,
    but the upright give thought to their ways.^(DN)

³⁰ There is no wisdom,^(DO) no insight, no plan
    that can succeed against the Lord.^(DP)

³¹ The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
    but victory rests with the Lord.^(DQ)