Proverbs 19

1 Conducting our lives as we should [even though] we are poor is better than being foolish and telling lies.

2 Being enthusiastic but not thinking carefully [about what we are about to do] is not good; doing things hastily can cause us a lot of trouble [IDM].

3 Some people are ruined as a result of their [own] foolish actions, and when that happens, they [SYN] angrily say that it is Yahweh’s fault.

4 Those who are rich easily find people who want to be their friends, but when [people become] poor, their friends [often] desert them.

5 Those who tell lies in court will surely be punished [LIT]; they will not escape it.

6 Many [people] try to persuade important people to do favors for them; everyone [wants to] be a friend of those who give gifts.

7 [Even] the relatives of someone who becomes poor hate him, and his friends certainly stay away from him, too; [even] if he tries to talk with them, they will not be his friends [again].

8 Those who become wise [IDM] are doing a favor for themselves; those who get good sense will prosper.

9 Those who tell lies in court will certainly be punished [LIT]; they will be ruined.

10 It is not appropriate for foolish people to live (luxuriously/like rich people), and it is even less appropriate for slaves to rule important officials.

11 Those who have good sense do not quickly become angry; people respect those who ignore offensive [things that people say to them].

12 When a king is angry, [that causes people to be afraid of him], like the roar of a lion [causes people to be afraid] [SIM], but if he acts kindly toward people, [they like it just] like [they like] dew on the grass [in the morning].

13 Foolish children [can] cause disasters to happen to their parents. A wife who constantly (nags/quarrels with) [her husband is as annoying as] water that continually drips [MET].

14 We [can] inherit a house or money from our parents [when they die], but only Yahweh [can] give someone a sensible wife.

15 Those who are lazy sleep soundly, but if they are lazy, they will be hungry [because of not earning money to buy food].

16 Those who obey [God’s] commandments will remain alive [for a long time]; those who despise/disobey them (OR, those who do not control their own conduct) will die [while they are still young].

17 When we give things to poor [people], [it is as though] we are lending to Yahweh, and he will (pay us back/reward us for what we did).

18 Discipline your children while [they are young], while you still hope that [they will learn to behave as they should]; [if you do not discipline them], you are helping them to destroy [themselves].

19 Those who (do not control their temper/quickly become very angry) will have to endure what happens as a result; [but] if we rescue them [from those troubles once], we will have to continue rescuing them.

20 Pay attention when [people give you good] advice and learn from them, in order that you will become wise for the rest of your life.

21 People plan to do many [kinds of things], but what will happen is what Yahweh has decided will happen.

22 People want others to be loyal to them; it is better to be poor than to tell a lie [to a judge in court in order to get money].

23 [Those who have] an awesome respect for Yahweh will live [a long life]; they rest peacefully and are not harmed [during the night].

24 Some people are extremely lazy; they put their hand in a dish [to take some food] but do not even lift the food up to their mouths.

25 If you punish someone who makes fun of those who are wise, those who (are naive/need to be instructed) will learn to do what is smart; if you rebuke those who are wise, they will [listen to what you say and] become wiser.

26 Anyone who mistreats/abuses his father or forces his mother to leave the home is a child who is acting shamefully and disgracefully.

27 My son, if you stop learning things, you will [soon] forget what [you already] know.

28 Worthless witnesses [in court] make fun of [judges who try to] make fair decisions, and wicked people [enjoy] doing evil [like] they enjoy eating [good food] [MET].

29 [God] is ready to punish those who make fun [of him/religion]; those who do foolish things deserve to be flogged/whipped.