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Proverbs 19

The TorahRooted Bible (TRB), translated directly from the Hebrew and Greek.

1 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in his lips and is a fool. 2 Also, zeal without knowledge is not good, and whoever hurries with his feet misses the way. 3 A man's folly overthrows his way, and his heart rages against Yahweh. 4 Wealth adds many friends, but the poor man is separated from his friend. 5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape. 6 Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. 7 All the brothers of a poor man hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but they are gone. 8 Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; whoever keeps understanding will find good. 9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish. 10 Luxury is not fitting for a fool, much less for a servant to rule over princes. 11 A man's good sense makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. 12 The king's wrath is like the roaring of a young lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. 13 A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping. 14 House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, but a sensible wife is from Yahweh. 15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle soul will suffer hunger. 16 Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his soul; whoever despises his ways will die. 17 Whoever is gracious to the poor lends to Yahweh, and He will repay him for his deed. 18 Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his death. 19 A man of great wrath will bear the penalty; for if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again. 20 Listen to counsel and receive discipline, that you may be wise in your latter days. 21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the counsel of Yahweh that will stand. 22 What is desired in a man is his kindness, and a poor man is better than a liar. 23 The fear of Yahweh leads to life; whoever has it rests satisfied and will not be visited by harm. 24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth. 25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become prudent; correct one who understands, and he will understand knowledge. 26 He who robs his father and drives away his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace. 27 Cease, my son, to hear discipline, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. 28 A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked swallows iniquity. 29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the back of fools.

Notes

  • 19:2 "Misses the way" translates chata, the ordinary word for "sin," whose basic sense is to miss the mark: Judges 20:16 uses it of slingers who "could sling a stone at a hair and not miss." The man who rushes ahead without knowing where he is going misses the way.
  • 19:7 The third line is hard in Hebrew. The written text has lo, "not," which the TRB follows ("they are not," that is, they are gone); the traditional reading has lo, "to him," with the same sound, which gives no clear sense. The line also stands alone in a book of two-line sayings, and the old Greek translation has a longer, different text here, so its exact meaning is uncertain.
  • 19:9 This saying repeats 19:5 word for word, except for the last word: "will not escape" becomes "will perish." Proverbs often repeats a saying in a new setting. For the false witness the Torah ruled, "you shall do to him as he intended to do to his brother" (Deuteronomy 19:19).
  • 19:17 The poor man cannot repay, so Yahweh makes Himself the debtor. "Lends" is the ordinary word for a loan, and the Torah told Israel to open the hand to a poor brother and "willingly lend him sufficient for his need" (Deuteronomy 15:8), taking no interest from him (Leviticus 25:35-36). Yeshua taught the same: what is done for the least is done for Him (Matthew 25:40), and whoever invites those who cannot repay him will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:13-14).
  • 19:18 The second line can be read two ways. Many take it as a limit: discipline him, but do not go so far as to seek his death; in the Torah even a rebellious son was not in his father's power of life and death, but was brought to the elders of the city (Deuteronomy 21:18-21). Others read it as a warning that to hold back discipline is to share in his ruin (compare 23:13-14).

Proverbs 18 · Proverbs 20

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