“Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity”: This line is identical with 28.6a. “Walks in his integrity” is used in 2.7 without the pronoun. See there for comments and translation.

“Than a man who is perverse in speech, and is a fool”: “Perverse in speech” is literally “crooked in his lips.” “Perverse” renders the same verb used in 11.20, where it is applied to the mind, literally “the heart.” “Perverse in speech” means to be a liar, to tell untruths. Many interpreters consider “a fool” to be inappropriate here and change the word to one meaning “rich,” as in 28.6b. This gives a better parallel with “a poor man” in line 1. Revised English Bible translates “Better to be poor and above reproach than rich and double-tongued.” Note, however, that Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation keep “a fool” and this is recommended to translators. Contemporary English Version translates “It is better to be poor and live right than to be a stupid liar.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .