Proverbs 19:22
What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that true "desirableness" in a person isn't about outward success, but about the internal disposition of "steadfast love," or goodwill. It emphasizes that a poor person who genuinely wishes to be generous, even if unable to act, is far more valuable than someone who is dishonest, even if they have the means to help.
This proverb appears amidst a collection of wisdom that contrasts foolishness with good sense. It directly follows verses about not believing every word and the consequences of hasty speech, setting up a contrast between genuine character and deceit. The verse that follows emphasizes the value of fearing the Lord, further framing this statement about kindness within a moral and spiritual context.
Have you ever wanted to help someone but just didn't have the means? This verse explores what truly defines kindness, even when our actions fall short.
This verse challenges our usual understanding of kindness. It suggests that the desire to be kind, the inner disposition and intention, is a crucial part of what makes a person desirable and good. Even if someone is poor and cannot perform a grand act of charity, their genuine desire to help is valued. It's not just about what you do, but what you want to do for others.
Think about it: our intentions reveal our heart. When we genuinely desire to show kindness, even when circumstances limit us, that longing itself is a form of real kindness.
We often associate wealth with the ability to help. But what happens when wealth doesn't lead to generosity? This verse draws a stark contrast.
The second part of the verse sets up a powerful comparison: 'and a poor man is better than a liar.' The 'liar' here isn't just someone who tells falsehoods, but specifically someone who makes false promises or pretends to have a charitable spirit when they don't. This often refers to someone who could help (implying they might be wealthier or in a position to act) but chooses not to, or worse, deceives others about their intentions or abilities.
A poor person who genuinely desires to be kind, even if they lack the means, is far more valuable in God's eyes and in reality than someone who has the resources but a deceitful or absent heart. True worth isn't about possessions, but about the integrity of our desires and intentions towards others.
Understand the original words
chesed · Hebrew Noun
Loyal love, covenant faithfulness, kindness, or mercy; a foundational virtue in relationships with God and neighbor.
kazab · Hebrew Noun
A person who intentionally speaks falsehood; characterized by deceit and lack of integrity, which is detestable to God.
This passage directly echoes the sentiment that a willing heart and genuine desire to give are valued, even if the amount given is limited by one's means, aligning with the proverb's emphasis on the intent behind kindness.
Luke 7:47Jesus highlights that great love is shown by those who have been forgiven much, connecting the idea of a 'desire' for kindness with a transformed heart that appreciates mercy and is moved to express it.
Micah 6:8This verse calls us to 'act justly and to love faithfulness and to walk humbly with your God,' which encapsulates the kind of genuine, active kindness that Proverbs 19:22 praises, contrasting it with empty words or deceit.
James 2:15-17This passage explicitly states that faith without works is dead, directly paralleling the proverb's condemnation of those who offer empty words ('liars') instead of practical help, emphasizing that true kindness involves action, not just intention.
bensonProverbs 19:22: "The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar."
Proverbs 19:22-23 . The desire of a man is his kindness — This expression is obscure, and will admit of several interpretations. The Seventy render it, Καρπος ανδρι ελεημοσυνη , alms-giving, or charity, is fruit to a man. The meaning, Le Clerc thinks, is, that there is no virtue a man ought to be so desirous of as benignity, or a generous, charitable spirit, as it is the greatest ornament of human natur…
pulpitProverbs 19:22: "The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar."
Verse 22. - The desire of a man is his kind. nose. The Revised Version rather paraphrases the clause, The desire of a man is the measure of his kindness; i.e. the wish and intention to do good is that which gives its real value to an act. The word for "kindness" is chesed, "mercy;" and, looking to the context, we see the meaning of the maxim to be that a poor man's desire of aiding a distressed neighbou…
The verse highlights that true "desirableness" in a person isn't about outward success, but about the internal disposition of "steadfast love," or goodwill. It emphasizes that a poor person who genuinely wishes to be generous, even if unable to act, is far more valuable than someone who is dishonest, even if they have the means to help.
This proverb appears amidst a collection of wisdom that contrasts foolishness with good sense. It directly follows verses about not believing every word and the consequences of hasty speech, setting up a contrast between genuine character and deceit. The verse that follows emphasizes the value of fearing the Lord, further framing this statement about kindness within a moral and spiritual context.
This proverb appears amidst a collection of wisdom that contrasts foolishness with good sense. It directly follows verses about not believing every word and the consequences of hasty speech, setting up a contrast between genuine character and deceit. The verse that follows emphasizes the value of fearing the Lord, further framing this statement about kindness within a moral and spiritual context.
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"What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar." — The verse highlights that true "desirableness" in a person isn't about outward success, but about the internal disposition of "steadfast love," or goodwill. It emphasizes that a poor person who genui…
