Proverbs 19 is the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.[1] The book is a compilation of several wisdom literature collections, with the heading in 1:1 may be intended to regard Solomon as the traditional author of the whole book, but the dates of the individual collections are difficult to determine, and the book probably obtained its final shape in the post-exilic period. This chapter is a part of the second collection of the book.
The following table shows the Hebrew text[2] [3] of Proverbs 19 with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
| Verse | Hebrew | English translation (JPS 1917) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity Than he that is perverse in his lips and a fool at the same time. | ||
| 2 | Also, that the soul be without knowledge is not good; And he that hasteth with his feet sinneth. | ||
| 3 | The foolishness of man perverteth his way; And his heart fretteth against the LORD. | ||
| 4 | Wealth addeth many friends; But as for the poor, his friend separateth himself from him. | ||
| 5 | A false witness shall not be unpunished; And he that breatheth forth lies shall not escape. | ||
| 6 | Many will entreat the favour of the liberal man; And every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts. | ||
| 7 | All the brethren of the poor do hate him; How much more do his friends go far from him! He that pursueth words, they turn against him. | ||
| 8 | He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul; He that keepeth understanding shall find good. | ||
| 9 | A false witness shall not be unpunished; And he that breatheth forth lies shall perish. | ||
| 10 | Luxury is not seemly for a fool; Much less for a servant to have rule over princes. | ||
| 11 | It is the discretion of a man to be slow to anger, And it is his glory to pass over a transgression. | ||
| 12 | The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; But his favour is as dew upon the grass. | ||
| 13 | A foolish son is the calamity of his father; And the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping. | ||
| 14 | House and riches are the inheritance of fathers; But a prudent wife is from the LORD. | ||
| 15 | Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; And the idle soul shall suffer hunger. | ||
| 16 | He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his soul; But he that despiseth His ways shall die. | ||
| 17 | He that is gracious unto the poor lendeth unto the LORD; And his good deed will He repay unto him. | ||
| 18 | Chasten thy son, for there is hope; But set not thy heart on his destruction. . | ||
| 19 | A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment; For if thou interpose, thou wilt add thereto. | ||
| 20 | Hear counsel, and receive instruction, That thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. | ||
| 21 | There are many devices in a man’s heart; But the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. | ||
| 22 | The lust of a man is his shame; And a poor man is better than a liar. | ||
| 23 | The fear of the LORD tendeth to life; And he that hath it shall abide satisfied, He shall not be visited with evil | ||
| 24 | The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, And will not so much as bring it back to his mouth. | ||
| 25 | When thou smitest a scorner, the simple will become prudent; And when one that hath understanding is reproved, he will understand knowledge. | ||
| 26 | A son that dealeth shamefully and reproachfully Will despoil his father, and chase away his mother. | ||
| 27 | Cease, my son, to hear the instruction That causeth to err from the words of knowledge. | ||
| 28 | An ungodly witness mocketh at right; And the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity. | ||
| 29 | Judgments are prepared for scorners, And stripes for the back of fools. |
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B;
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The parashah sections listed here are based on the Aleppo Codex.[4] : open parashah.
19:10–29; 20:1–30; 21:1–30 21:31; 22:1–29
This chapter belongs to a section regarded as the second collection in the book of Proverbs (comprising Proverbs 10:1–22:16), also called "The First 'Solomonic' Collection" (the second one in Proverbs 25:1–29:27). The collection contains 375 sayings, each of which consists of two parallel phrases, except for Proverbs 19:7 which consists of three parts.
Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.[5]
All the brothers of the poor hate him;
how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, yet they abandon him.[7]
Among 375 "proverbs of Solomon" in Proverbs 10:1–22:16, only this one has three lines instead of two lines.[10]
There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.[11]
. Michael D. Coogan . The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 . Coogan . Michael David . Marc Zvi . Brettler . Carol Ann . Newsom . Pheme . Perkins . Augmented 3rd . Oxford University Press . 2007 . 9780195288810 .
. Michael V. Fox . Proverbs 10-31: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary . Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries . Yale University Press . 2009 . 978-0300155563.
. Henry Hampton Halley. Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary . 24th (revised). Zondervan Publishing House . 1965 . 0-310-25720-4.