19:1 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity
than one who is perverse in his speech and is a fool.
19:2 It is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge,
and the one who acts hastily makes poor choices.
19:3 A person’s folly subverts his way,
and his heart rages against the Lord.
19:4 Wealth adds many friends,
but a poor person is separated from his friend.
19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and the one who spouts out lies will not escape punishment.
19:6 Many people entreat the favor of a generous person,
and everyone is the friend of the person who gives gifts.
19:7 All the relatives of a poor person hate him;
how much more do his friends avoid him –
he pursues them with words, but they do not respond.
19:8 The one who acquires wisdom loves himself;
the one who preserves understanding will prosper.
19:9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and the one who spouts out lies will perish.
19:10 Luxury is not appropriate for a fool;
how much less for a servant to rule over princes!
19:11 A person’s wisdom makes him slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
19:12 A king’s wrath is like the roar of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
19:13 A foolish child is the ruin of his father,
and a contentious wife is like a constant dripping.
19:14 A house and wealth are inherited from parents,
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
19:15 Laziness brings on a deep sleep,
and the idle person will go hungry.
19:16 The one who obeys commandments guards his life;
the one who despises his ways will die.
19:17 The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord,
and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.
19:18 Discipline your child, for there is hope,
but do not set your heart on causing his death.
19:19 A person with great anger bears the penalty,
but if you deliver him from it once, you will have to do it again.
19:20 Listen to advice and receive discipline,
that you may become wise by the end of your life.
19:21 There are many plans in a person’s mind,
but it is the counsel of the Lord which will stand.
19:22 What is desirable for a person is to show loyal love,
and a poor person is better than a liar.
19:23 Fearing the Lord leads to life,
and one who does so will live satisfied; he will not be afflicted by calamity.
19:24 The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish,
and he will not even bring it back to his mouth!
19:25 Flog a scorner, and as a result the simpleton will learn prudence;
correct a discerning person, and as a result he will understand knowledge.
19:26 The one who robs his father and chases away his mother
is a son who brings shame and disgrace.
19:27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child,
you will stray from the words of knowledge.
19:28 A crooked witness scorns justice,
and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
19:29 Judgments are prepared for scorners,
and floggings for the backs of fools.
20:1 Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler;
whoever goes astray by them is not wise.
20:2 The king’s terrifying anger is like the roar of a lion;
whoever provokes him sins against himself.
20:3 It is an honor for a person to cease from strife,
but every fool quarrels.
20:4 The sluggard will not plow during the planting season,
so at harvest time he looks for the crop but has nothing.
20:5 Counsel in a person’s heart is like deep water,
but an understanding person draws it out.
20:6 Many people profess their loyalty,
but a faithful person – who can find?
20:7 The righteous person behaves in integrity;
blessed are his children after him.
20:8 A king sitting on the throne to judge
separates out all evil with his eyes.
20:9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart clean;
I am pure from my sin”?
20:10 Diverse weights and diverse measures –
the Lord abhors both of them.
20:11 Even a young man is known by his actions,
whether his activity is pure and whether it is right.
20:12 The ear that hears and the eye that sees –
the Lord has made them both.
20:13 Do not love sleep, lest you become impoverished;
open your eyes so that you might be satisfied with food.
20:14 “It’s worthless! It’s worthless!” says the buyer,
but when he goes on his way, he boasts.
20:15 There is gold, and an abundance of rubies,
but words of knowledge are like a precious jewel.
20:16 Take a man’s garment when he has given security for a stranger,
and when he gives surety for strangers, hold him in pledge.
20:17 Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet to a person,
but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
20:18 Plans are established by counsel,
so make war with guidance.
20:19 The one who goes about gossiping reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with someone who is always opening his mouth.
20:20 The one who curses his father and his mother,
his lamp will be extinguished in the blackest darkness.
20:21 An inheritance gained easily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
20:22 Do not say, “I will pay back evil!”
Wait for the Lord, so that he may vindicate you.
20:23 The Lord abhors differing weights,
and dishonest scales are wicked.
20:24 The steps of a person are ordained by the Lord –
so how can anyone understand his own way?
20:25 It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, “Holy!”
and only afterward to consider what he has vowed.
20:26 A wise king separates out the wicked;
he turns the threshing wheel over them.
20:27 The human spirit is like the lamp of the Lord,
searching all his innermost parts.
20:28 Loyal love and truth preserve a king,
and his throne is upheld by loyal love.
20:29 The glory of young men is their strength,
and the splendor of old men is gray hair.
20:30 Beatings and wounds cleanse away evil,
and floggings cleanse the innermost being.
21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord like channels of water;
he turns it wherever he wants.
21:2 All of a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion,
but the Lord evaluates the motives.
21:3 To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
21:4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart –
the agricultural product of the wicked is sin.
21:5 The plans of the diligent lead only to plenty,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
21:6 Making a fortune by a lying tongue is like a vapor driven back and forth;
they seek death.
21:7 The violence done by the wicked will drag them away
because they refuse to do what is right.
21:8 The way of the guilty person is devious,
but as for the pure, his way is upright.
21:9 It is better to live on a corner of the housetop
than in a house in company with a quarrelsome wife.
21:10 The appetite of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor is shown no favor in his eyes.
21:11 When a scorner is punished, the naive becomes wise;
when a wise person is instructed, he gains knowledge.
21:12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked;
he overthrows the wicked to their ruin.
21:13 The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,
he too will cry out and will not be answered.
21:14 A gift given in secret subdues anger,
and a bribe given secretly subdues strong wrath.
21:15 Doing justice brings joy to the righteous
and terror to those who do evil.
21:16 The one who wanders from the way of wisdom
will end up in the company of the departed.
21:17 The one who loves pleasure will be a poor person;
whoever loves wine and anointing oil will not be rich.
21:18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,
and the faithless are taken in the place of the upright.
21:19 It is better to live in a desert land
than with a quarrelsome and easily-provoked woman.
21:20 There is desirable treasure and olive oil in the dwelling of the wise,
but a foolish person devours all he has.
21:21 The one who pursues righteousness and love
finds life, bounty, and honor.
21:22 The wise person can scale the city of the mighty
and bring down the stronghold in which they trust.
21:23 The one who guards his mouth and his tongue
keeps his life from troubles.
21:24 A proud and arrogant person, whose name is “Scoffer,”
acts with overbearing pride.
21:25 What the sluggard desires will kill him,
for his hands refuse to work.
21:26 All day long he craves greedily,
but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
21:27 The wicked person’s sacrifice is an abomination;
how much more when he brings it with evil intent!
21:28 A lying witness will perish,
but the one who reports accurately speaks forever.
21:29 A wicked person shows boldness with his face,
but as for the upright, he discerns his ways.
21:30 There is no wisdom and there is no understanding,
and there is no counsel against the Lord.
21:31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle,
but the victory is from the Lord.