Proverbs 19:3

3 A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the LORD.

Proverbs 19:3 in Other Translations

KJV
3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.
ESV
3 When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD.
NLT
3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD .
MSG
3 People ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does God always get blamed?
CSB
3 A man's own foolishness leads him astray, yet his heart rages against the Lord.

Proverbs 19:3 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 19:3

The foolishness of man perverteth his way
The sinfulness of his heart and nature; the folly which is bound up in it causes him to go astray out of the way in which he should go, or makes things go cross with him; so that the ways he takes do not prosper, nor his schemes succeed; but everything goes against him, and he is brought into straits and difficulties; and his heart fretteth against the Lord;
laying all the blame on him; and ascribing his ill success, not to his own sin and folly, but to divine Providence, which works against him; and therefore frets and murmurs at him; and, instead of charging his own ways with folly, charges the ways of God with inequality; see ( Ezekiel 18:25 ) ( Jude 1:16 ) .

Proverbs 19:3 In-Context

1 Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.
2 Desire without knowledge is not good— how much more will hasty feet miss the way!
3 A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the LORD.
4 Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Psalms 14:1; Proverbs 9:13; Proverbs 24:9; Isaiah 32:6
  • 2. James 1:13-15
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