Proverbs 14
1
The wise woman builds her
house,
But the foolish pulls
it down with her hands.
2 He who walks in his
uprightness fears the LORD,
But he who is
perverse in his ways
despises Him.
3 In the mouth of a
fool is a rod of
pride,
But the lips of the
wise will preserve them.
4 Where no oxen
are, the trough is
clean;
But much increase
comes by the strength of
an ox.
5 A faithful witness
does not lie,
But a false witness
will utter lies.
6 A scoffer seeks
wisdom and does not find
it,
But knowledge is
easy to him who understands.
7 Go from the
presence of a foolish man,
When you do not
perceive in him the
lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the
prudent is to
understand his way,
But the folly of fools
is deceit.
9 Fools mock at sin,
But among the upright
there is favor.
10 The heart knows
its own bitterness,
And a stranger does
not share its joy.
11 The house of the
wicked will be overthrown,
But the tent of the
upright will flourish.
12 There is a way
that seems right to a
man,
But its end is
the way of death.
13 Even in laughter
the heart may sorrow,
And the end of mirth
may be grief.
14 The backslider in
heart will be filled with
his own ways,
But a good man will
be satisfied from above.[a]
15 The simple
believes every word,
But the prudent
considers well his steps.
16 A wise man
fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and
is self-confident.
17 A quick-tempered
man acts foolishly,
And a man of wicked
intentions is hated.
18 The simple inherit
folly,
But the prudent are
crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil will bow
before the good,
And the wicked at the
gates of the righteous.
20 The poor man
is hated even by his own
neighbor,
But the rich has
many friends.
21 He who despises
his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy
on the poor, happy is
he.
22 Do they not go
astray who devise evil?
But mercy and truth
belong to those who
devise good.
23 In all labor there
is profit,
But idle chatter[b]leads
only to poverty.
24 The crown of the
wise is their riches,
But the
foolishness of fools is
folly.
25 A true witness
delivers souls,
But a deceitful
witness speaks lies.
26 In the fear of the
LORD there is strong
confidence,
And His children will
have a place of refuge.
27 The fear of the
LORD is a fountain of
life,
To turn one
away from the snares of
death.
28 In a multitude of
people is a king’s
honor,
But in the lack of
people is the
downfall of a prince.
29 He who is
slow to wrath has great
understanding,
But he who is
impulsive[c]
exalts folly.
30 A sound heart
is life to the body,
But envy is
rottenness to the bones.
31 He who oppresses
the poor reproaches his
Maker,
But he who honors Him
has mercy on the needy.
32 The wicked is
banished in his wickedness,
But the righteous has
a refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in
the heart of him who has
understanding,
But what is in
the heart of fools is made
known.
34 Righteousness
exalts a nation,
But sin is a
reproach to any
people.
35 The king’s favor
is toward a wise
servant,
But his wrath is
against him who causes
shame.
Footnotes:
-
Proverbs 14:14
Literally from above
himself
-
Proverbs 14:23
Literally talk of the
lips
-
Proverbs 14:29
Literally short of
spirit