Proverbs chapter 19

vs 21

This doesn't mean don't make plans. It just means be prepared for them to fail, not work out, go totally awry, or not be where you're supposed to be.

vs 22

Nope, don't get the transition of this one. Maybe the idea is that if you lie you're not really being loving. That could be it. Better to be poor with unfailing love, the desire of all people, than to lie and miss out, even if you get all other things.

vs 23

Content rest, and a life untouched by trouble. It's a dream come true, for me anyway. Only it hasn't come true. I doubt anyone can say that their whole life is content rest untouched by trouble. I could say that I'm looking forward to content rest, and that the troubles that touch my life are nothing in comparison to the treasures, or something like that. But that is a bit more complex.

vs 24

That's just funny.

vs 25

I think what this proverb is saying is that if you want to get through to the wise, rebuke them. If you want to get through to a fool, flog them. Nasty. But sometimes punishment is the only way to get through to someone. That doesn't even make it 100% effective, but it's better than 0%.

vs 26

You might read this and think, "Who would ever do such a thing?" Call the public trustee and ask them. Thousands of people give enduring power of attorney to their children, only to have their children steal everything they own from under them. It happens so often, it's disgusting.

vs 27

The wise can never stop learning. If you ever think you've arrived, you've strayed.

vs 28

Justice is both important and strived after by humanity. So mocking it often puts you in bad with most people. It's not quite the same as mocking the corruption or inefficiency of any given justice system.

The metaphor of the wicked gulping down evil is just lovely.

vs 29

So very often the life of the fool isn't a fabulous one. The rich, famous, untouchable fool might be famous enough to be pointed at, but the untold faceless masses of incarcerated fools speak volumes just in their existence.