THE ONE WHO GETS WISDOM
Key verse: 8
NIV
19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.(A)
2 Desire without knowledge is not good—
how much more will hasty feet miss the way!(B)
4 Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(E)
7 The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
how much more do their friends avoid them!(K)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
they are nowhere to be found.[a](L)
8 The one who gets wisdom loves life;
the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.(M)
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will perish.(N)
10 It is not fitting for a fool(O) to live in luxury—
how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!(P)
11 A person’s wisdom yields patience;(Q)
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(U)
and a quarrelsome wife is like
the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(V)
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless go hungry.(Y)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
Cross references
- Proverbs 19:1 : Pr 28:6
- Proverbs 19:2 : Pr 29:20
- Proverbs 19:3 : Ps 14:1; Pr 9:13; 24:9; Isa 32:6
- Proverbs 19:3 : Jas 1:13-15
- Proverbs 19:4 : ver 7; Pr 14:20
- Proverbs 19:5 : S Ex 23:1
- Proverbs 19:5 : S Ps 56:7
- Proverbs 19:5 : ver 9; S Dt 19:19; Pr 21:28
- Proverbs 19:6 : Pr 29:26
- Proverbs 19:6 : S Pr 17:8; S 18:16
- Proverbs 19:7 : Pr 10:15
- Proverbs 19:7 : S ver 4
- Proverbs 19:8 : S Pr 16:20
- Proverbs 19:9 : S ver 5; S Dt 19:19
- Proverbs 19:10 : Pr 26:1
- Proverbs 19:10 : Pr 30:21-23; Ecc 10:5-7
- Proverbs 19:11 : S 2Ki 5:12
- Proverbs 19:12 : Pr 20:2
- Proverbs 19:12 : S Ps 133:3
- Proverbs 19:12 : S Est 1:12; S 7:7; Ps 72:5-6; Pr 16:14-15
- Proverbs 19:13 : S Pr 10:1
- Proverbs 19:13 : S Est 1:18; Pr 21:9
- Proverbs 19:14 : 2Co 12:14
- Proverbs 19:14 : S Pr 18:22
- Proverbs 19:15 : S Pr 10:4; 20:13
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
19 (A)Better is a poor person who (B)walks in his integrity
than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
2 Desire[a] without knowledge is not good,
and whoever (C)makes haste with his feet misses his way.
3 When a man's folly (D)brings his way to ruin,
his heart (E)rages against the Lord.
4 (F)Wealth brings many new friends,
(G)but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5 (H)A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who (I)breathes out lies will not escape.
6 Many seek the favor of a generous man,[b]
and everyone is a friend to a man who gives (J)gifts.
7 (K)All a poor man's brothers hate him;
(L)how much more do his friends go far from him!
He pursues them with words, but does not have them.[c]
8 (M)Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;
he who keeps understanding will (N)discover good.
9 (O)A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who (P)breathes out lies will perish.
10 (Q)It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for (R)a slave to rule over princes.
11 (S)Good sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king's wrath is like (T)the growling of a lion,
but his (U)favor is like (V)dew on the grass.
13 (W)A foolish son is ruin to his father,
and (X)a wife's quarreling is (Y)a continual dripping of rain.
14 (Z)House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is (AA)from the Lord.
15 (AB)Slothfulness casts into (AC)a deep sleep,
and (AD)an idle person will suffer hunger.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 19:2 Or A soul
- Proverbs 19:6 Or of a noble
- Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew sentence is uncertain
Cross references
- Proverbs 19:1 : ch. 28:6
- Proverbs 19:1 : ch. 14:2; 20:7; Ps. 26:1, 11
- Proverbs 19:2 : [ch. 21:5; 28:20; 29:20]
- Proverbs 19:3 : [ch. 11:3]
- Proverbs 19:3 : [Ps. 37:7; Isa. 8:21; Rev. 16:11]
- Proverbs 19:4 : ch. 14:20
- Proverbs 19:4 : ch. 14:20
- Proverbs 19:5 : [ch. 12:19; 21:28]; See Deut. 19:16-19
- Proverbs 19:5 : See ch. 6:19
- Proverbs 19:6 : See ch. 17:8
- Proverbs 19:7 : [ver. 4]
- Proverbs 19:7 : [Ps. 38:11]
- Proverbs 19:8 : [ch. 15:32]
- Proverbs 19:8 : ch. 16:20
- Proverbs 19:9 : [See ver. 5 above]; [ch. 12:19; 21:28]; See Deut. 19:16-19
- Proverbs 19:9 : [See ver. 5 above]; See ch. 6:19
- Proverbs 19:10 : [ch. 17:7; 26:1]
- Proverbs 19:10 : ch. 30:22; Eccles. 10:6, 7
- Proverbs 19:11 : See ch. 14:29
- Proverbs 19:12 : ch. 20:2; [ch. 16:14, 15; 28:15]
- Proverbs 19:12 : ch. 14:35
- Proverbs 19:12 : Ps. 133:3; Hos. 14:5; Mic. 5:7
- Proverbs 19:13 : ch. 10:1; 17:21
- Proverbs 19:13 : See ch. 21:9
- Proverbs 19:13 : ch. 27:15
- Proverbs 19:14 : [2 Cor. 12:14]
- Proverbs 19:14 : ch. 18:22
- Proverbs 19:15 : See ch. 6:9-11
- Proverbs 19:15 : Job 4:13
- Proverbs 19:15 : [ch. 10:4; 20:4, 13; 23:21]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
This passage focuses on choices people make. When we make wise choices, our lives prosper (8,11,14). When we make poor choices, our lives disintegrate (2, 3, 5,9, 13).
What are bad choices? When we are caught in desire and hurry too fast, we regret the folly we have fallen into and become angry (2-3). When we focus on getting wealth, we attract fake friends who will abandon us when we lose everything (4, 7). Dishonesty and bribery entangle us into a web that traps us in the end (5, 6, 9). Fighting at home ruins our families (13). Laziness impoverishes us (15)
But when we strive to get wisdom, we make good choices (8, 11, 14). We come to love life because we experience the blessings of wisdom. We begin to cherish understanding, seeing how it helps us to prosper. Wisdom and understanding are keys to improve our lives spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. How blessed we are to be able to love life, instead of feeling helpless, anxious, angry, or ashamed. With wisdom and understanding, we are patient, forgiving, prudent, and righteous. We are blessed people who prosper in the Lord. We can be loving and compassionate.
Prayer: Father, thank you for blessing us with wisdom and understanding when we seek you. Please help us not to make foolish choices.
One Word: Get wisdom and understanding