Proverbs 19 - Easy To Read Version

¹ It is better to be poor and honest than to be a fool that tells lies and cheats people.

² Being excited about something is not enough. You must also know what you are doing. You should not rush into something or you will do it wrong.

³ A person’s own foolishness will ruin his life. But he will blame the Lord.

⁴ If a person is rich, then his wealth will bring him many friends. But if a person is poor, all his friends will leave him.

⁵ A person who tells a lie against another person will be punished. The person who tells lies will not be safe.

⁶ Many people want to be friends with a generous person. Everyone wants to be the friend of a person who gives gifts.

⁷ If a person is poor, then even his family is against him. And all of his friends turn away from him. That poor person can beg them for help. But they will not go near him.

⁸ If a person really likes himself, then he will work hard to become wise. He will try hard to understand, and he will get his reward.

⁹ A lying witness must be punished! The person who tells lies will be destroyed.

¹⁰ A foolish person should not be rich. That would be like a slave ruling over princes.

¹¹ If a person is wise, that wisdom gives him patience. And it is wonderful when he forgives people who do wrong to him.

¹² Angry words from a king are like the roars of a lion. But compliments from him are like a gentle rain falling softly on the grass.

¹³ A foolish son can bring a flood of troubles to his father. And a nagging wife is like water that won’t stop dripping.

¹⁴ People get houses and money from their parents. But a good wife is a gift from the Lord.

¹⁵ Laziness brings sleepiness. Trying to hide \{a problem\} brings more problems. {\cf2\super [27]}

¹⁶ If a person obeys the law, then he protects himself. But the person that hates to live by the law will die by the law.

¹⁷ Giving money to poor people is like loaning it to the Lord. The Lord will pay you back for being kind to them.

¹⁸ Teach your son and punish him when he is wrong. That is the only hope. If you refuse to do this, then you are helping him destroy himself.

¹⁹ A person with a short temper must pay the price. The more you get him out of trouble, the worse he becomes.

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept discipline. Then you will become wise.

²¹ People get a lot of ideas, but only the Lord’s plan will happen.

²² Everyone wants a true and loyal friend—it is better to be poor than a person that can’t be trusted.

²³ A person who respects the Lord has a good life. That person is satisfied with his life and doesn’t have to worry about troubles.

²⁴ Some friends are fun to be with. {\cf2\super [26]} But a close friend can be even better than a brother.

²⁵ Some people show no respect for anything—those foolish people must be punished and forced to learn their lesson. But for a wise person, it’s enough just to tell them that they did wrong.

²⁶ A person who steals from his father and chases his mother away is a disgusting, shameful person.

²⁷ If you stop listening to instructions, then you will keep making stupid mistakes.

²⁸ A lying witness makes justice nothing but a joke! The things evil people say bring more evil.