Proverbs 19 KJV
Wealth and Poverty
Proverbs Chapter 19: Wealth and Poverty
Verse 17's portrayal of charity as lending to Yahweh inverts ancient debtor-creditor norms, framing the poor as God's proxies and implying a divine guarantee that transcends human economic systems.
1etter is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it 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 maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
6 Many will intreat the favour of the prince: 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 pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to 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 speaketh lies shall perish.
10 Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
12 The kingโs 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: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.
15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.
17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
21 There are many devices in a manโs heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
22 The desire of a man is his kindness: 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 A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.
26 He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.
27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.
28 An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.
29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.
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Did You Know?
Verse 17's portrayal of charity as lending to Yahweh inverts ancient debtor-creditor norms, framing the poor as God's proxies and implying a divine guarantee that transcends human economic systems.
The repeated emphasis on false witnesses (vv. 5, 9, 28) clusters legal ethics within wisdom instruction, suggesting the chapter addresses communal integrity in judicial settings possibly shaped by post-exilic concerns over reliable testimony.
Proverbs 19:13's 'continual dropping' metaphor for a contentious wife evokes the physical reality of ancient Israelite homes with flat, mud-plastered roofs prone to leaks, grounding abstract relational strife in tangible domestic architecture.
The chapter contrasts human 'devices' or plans (v. 21) with both royal wrath (v. 12) and divine counsel, creating a layered hierarchy of sovereignty that subordinates earthly power to Yahweh while still acknowledging its terror.
Verse 1's elevation of integrity over eloquent but perverse speech subtly critiques the ancient premium on rhetorical skill and social persuasion, aligning instead with prophetic traditions that value ethical consistency above status.