“Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity
Than a person who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And one who hurries his footsteps errs.”

“A person’s own foolishness ruins his way,
And his heart rages against the Lord.
Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor person is separated from his friend.”

“A false witness will not go unpunished,
And one who declares lies will perish.
Many will seek the favor of a generous person,
And every person is a friend to him who gives gifts.”

“All the brothers of a poor person hate him;
How much more do his friends abandon him!
He pursues them with words, but they are gone.”

“One who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
One who keeps understanding will find good.
A false witness will not go unpunished,
And one who declares lies will perish.”

“Luxury is not fitting for a fool;
Much less for a slave to rule over princes.
A person’s discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory to overlook an offense.”

“A king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like dew on the grass.
A foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the quarrels of a wife are a constant dripping.”

“House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.
Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And a lazy person will suffer hunger.”

“One who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But one who is careless of conduct will die.
One who is gracious to a poor person lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his good deed.”

“Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire his death.
A person of great anger will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.”

“Listen to advice and accept discipline,
So that you may be wise the rest of your days.
Many plans are in a person’s heart,
But the advice of the Lord will stand.”

“What is desirable in a person is his kindness,
And it is better to be a poor person than a liar.
The fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.”

“The lazy one buries his hand in the dish
And will not even bring it back to his mouth.
Strike a scoffer and the naive may become clever,
But rebuke one who has understanding and he will gain knowledge.”

“He who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.
Stop listening, my son, to discipline,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.”

“A worthless witness mocks justice,
And the mouth of the wicked swallows wrongdoing.
Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And beatings for the backs of fools.”

---

Context and Meaning

Proverbs 19 centers on integrity, patience, teachability, and justice.
It reveals how foolish impulses, pride, and dishonesty ruin lives, while humility, discipline, and mercy bring peace.

It also stresses the importance of accepting correction — a continual thread through Proverbs — and anchors all wisdom in the fear of the Lord.

Key Themes:

1. Integrity Over Wealth: A poor but honest life is better than a rich but corrupt one (v. 1).
2. Personal Responsibility: Foolishness ruins lives — and blaming God is deception (v. 3).
3. Truth in Court: False witnesses destroy justice and face judgment (v. 5, 9).
4. Patience and Mercy: Wisdom flows through slow anger and gracious forgiveness (v. 11).
5. Family Wisdom: A prudent spouse is God’s gift; foolish children bring sorrow (v. 13–14).
6. Generosity to the Poor: Kindness to the needy is kindness to God Himself (v. 17).
7. Discipline: Correction preserves life and guides future wisdom (v. 18, 20).
8. God’s Sovereign Counsel: Human plans abound, but God’s purposes stand (v. 21).
9. Fear of the Lord: It leads to deep, restful peace (v. 23).

Reflection and Impact

Proverbs 19 shows that a wise life is built on teachability, patience, integrity, and reverence for God.

• Integrity protects the soul – “Better is a poor man who walks in integrity” (v. 1) reflects Psalm 25:21: let integrity and uprightness preserve me.
• Foolishness blames God – “His heart rages against the Lord” (v. 3) parallels James 1:13: God is not tempted by evil and tempts no one.
• Mercy reflects God’s heart – “He who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord” (v. 17) echoes Matthew 25:40: you did it unto Me.
• Discipline saves lives – “Discipline your son while there is hope” (v. 18) matches Hebrews 12:11: discipline yields the fruit of righteousness.
• The Lord’s counsel stands – “The advice of the Lord will stand” (v. 21) harmonizes with Psalm 33:11: His plans stand forever.
• Fear of the Lord brings rest – “He will sleep satisfied” (v. 23) recalls Psalm 4:8: in peace I will both lie down and sleep.

Application

• Walk in Integrity: Prefer honesty over advantage.
• Take Responsibility: Own your choices before God.
• Be Slow to Anger: Let patience guide your reactions.
• Give Generously: Treat the poor as Christ Himself.
• Value Discipline: Seek correction as a path to life.
• Rest in God’s Will: Submit your plans to the Lord’s counsel.
• Fear God Deeply: Let reverence govern your decisions and bring you peace.

Closing Thought

Proverbs 19 reminds us that wisdom is not found in rushing, grasping, or controlling outcomes.
It is found in humility, integrity, patience, and reverence before the Lord.
The wise walk slowly, listen deeply, and love generously — because they trust the God whose counsel stands forever.

“The fear of the Lord leads to life,
So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.”