# Proverbs 19.20
**Book:** [Proverbs](/codex/proverbs/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT
## Immediate context (±2 verses)
**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 18. Chasten thy son, seeing there is hope; And set not thy heart on his destruction. 19. A man of great wrath shall bear the penalty; For if thou deliver him, thou must do it yet again.
>
> **20. Hear counsel, and receive instruction, That thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.**
>
> 21. There are many devices in a man's heart; But the counsel of Jehovah, that shall stand. 22. That which maketh a man to be desired is his kindness; And a poor man is better than a liar. (Proverbs 19:18-22, ASV)
**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 18. Discipline your son, for there is hope; don’t be a willing party to his death. 19. A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again.
>
> **20. Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end.**
>
> 21. There are many plans in a man’s heart, but Yahweh’s counsel will prevail. 22. That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar. (Proverbs 19:18-22, WEB)
**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 18. Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. for: or, to his destruction: or, to cause him to die 19. A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again. do: Heb. add
>
> **20. Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.**
>
> 21. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. 22. The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar. (Proverbs 19:18-22, KJV)
**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 18. Chastise thy son, for there is hope, And to put him to death lift not up thy soul. 19. A man of great wrath is bearing punishment, For, if thou dost deliver, yet again thou dost add.
>
> **20. Hear counsel and receive instruction, So that thou art wise in thy latter end.**
>
> 21. Many [are] the purposes in a man's heart, And the counsel of Jehovah it standeth. 22. The desirableness of a man [is] his kindness, And better [is] the poor than a liar. (Proverbs 19:18-22, YLT)
## Setting
- **Speaker:** Solomon (principal); Agur; Lemuel; wise men
- **Audience:** young Israelite men in the wisdom tradition
- **Location:** Israel, Solomonic court
- **Time period:** principal composition c. 970-930 BC (Solomon); compilation c. 700 BC (Hezekiah)
## Theological reading
## Key words
_No Strong's-tagged lexicon matches found in this passage. (Lexicon coverage is curated, ~159 of the most apologetically-loaded Greek/Hebrew terms.)_
## Why these four translations
ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.
The four:
- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.
See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.