Old Testament

Proverbs 19

Counsel, Character, and God's Enduring Purpose

12 passages

Overview

Proverbs 19 assembles a broad collection of wisdom sayings on integrity over wealth, the self-defeating nature of folly, the fickleness of friendships rooted in riches, the ordering of household life, mercy toward the poor, parental discipline, the fear of the Lord, and the ultimate prevailing of God's purpose over all human plans.

Passages

1–3Integrity, Knowledge, and Self-Inflicted Folly 4–7Fair-Weather Friends: Wealth, Poverty, and the Poverty of Human Loyalty 8–9Love Yourself Rightly: Wisdom, Truth, and the Soul's True Good 10–12Folly, Forbearance, and the Fear of the King 13–14The Household: Folly, Strife, and the Gift of a Prudent Wife 15–16Sloth, Obedience, and the Preservation of Life 17–19Mercy, Correction, and Restraint: The Shape of Wise Love 20–21Counsel, Plans, and the Sovereignty of God's Purpose 22–23Kindness, the Fear of the Lord, and the Fullness of Life 24–25The Sluggard and the Scoffer: Folly Corrected and Instructed 26–27Filial Shame and the Danger of Abandoning Instruction 28–29Corrupt Witnesses and the Inevitable Judgment of Scoffers

Study Resources

No study guides, devotionals, or teaching outlines have been created for this chapter yet.

Proverbs 19

¹Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.

²It isn’t good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty with one’s feet and miss the way.

³The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against Yahweh.

⁴Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend.

⁵A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free.

⁶Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

⁷All the relatives of the poor shun him; how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone.

⁸He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good.

⁹A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish.

¹⁰Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

¹¹The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense.

¹²The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife’s quarrels are a continual dripping.

¹⁴House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh.

¹⁵Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger.

¹⁶He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die.

¹⁷He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him.

¹⁸Discipline your son, for there is hope; don’t be a willing party to his death.

¹⁹A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again.

²⁰Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end.

²¹There are many plans in a man’s heart, but Yahweh’s counsel will prevail.

²²That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar.

²³The fear of Yahweh leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble.

²⁴The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

²⁶He who robs his father and drives away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

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

²⁸A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity.

²⁹Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools.

Proverbs 18 Proverbs 20