Proverbs 19:1-19

These Proverbs speak on life and conduct…it sums up the right and the wrong way to conduct our life. 

We must be very careful who we support.

Proverbs 19:1-19

1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity

than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

2 Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,

And he sins who hastens with his feet.

3 The foolishness of a man twists his way,

And his heart frets against the Lord.

4 Wealth makes many friends,

But the poor is separated from his friend.

5 A false witness will not go unpunished,

And he who speaks lies will not escape.

6 Many entreat the favor of the nobility,

And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.

7 All the brothers of the poor hate him;

How much more do his friends go far from him!

He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.

8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;

He who keeps understanding will find good.

9 A false witness will not go unpunished,

And he who speaks lies shall perish.

10 Luxury is not fitting for a fool,

Much less for a servant to rule over princes.

11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,

And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

12 The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,

But his favor is like dew on the grass.

13 A foolish son is the ruin of his father,

And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.

14 Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,

But a prudent wife is from the Lord.

15 Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,

And an idle person will suffer hunger.

16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,

But he who is careless of his ways will die.

17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,

And He will pay back what he has given.

18 Chasten your son while there is hope,

And do not set your heart on his destruction.

19 A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;

For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

Poverty with integrity is better than wealth gained deceitfully. Proverbs frequently connects a person’s speech and character. The contrast in this proverb implies that wealth does not always go to people who deserve it. A person who gave false testimony was to receive the same punishment as the accused. Faithlife Bible.

This proverb, one of the “better than” proverbs, presents a poor person in a more favorable light than a rich person. In this case, the poor person’s life is marked by integrity, whereas the successful person has gained his wealth through cheating and deception. 

The Book of Proverbs does not place a premium on health and wealth. It gives that honor to integrity. 

It speaks of the effects of wealth and poverty on friendship. It does not describe how friends ought to behave, but how many friends actually do. Like a faithful spouse, a faithful friend is priceless.

The behavior of brothers and friends who abandon a friend because of poverty should be contrasted with the true friend. 

Ultimately, to find good means to find the Lord in His Word.

The phrase is not fitting might also be rendered “is not a pretty sight”. For the wrong people to rule is an outrage.

Patience and restraint are virtues of wisdom, rashness and violent outbursts of rage are not.

NKJ Bible.

Genesis 27:28 | Therefore may God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine.

Exodus 23:1 | “You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

Deuteronomy 15:7 | “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother,

Deuteronomy 15:8 | but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.

Proverbs 14:20 | The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, but the rich has many friends.