Proverbs 14-16

English Standard Version

14 ^(A)The wisest of women ^(B)builds her house,
    but folly with her own hands ^(C)tears it down.
² Whoever ^(D)walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
    but he who is ^(E)devious in his ways despises him.
³ By the mouth of a fool comes ^(F)a rod for his back,^{[a]
    (G)}but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
⁴ Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
    but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
^5 (H)A faithful witness does not lie,
    but ^(I)a false witness breathes out lies.
^6 (J)A scoffer seeks wisdom ^(K)in vain,
    but ^(L)knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
⁷ Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
⁸ The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceiving.
^9 (M)Fools mock at the guilt offering,
    but the upright enjoy acceptance.^[b]
10 The heart knows its own ^(N)bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
^11 (O)The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
^12 (P)There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but ^(Q)its end is the way to death.^[c]
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
    and ^(R)the end of joy may be ^(S)grief.
¹⁴ The backslider in heart will be ^(T)filled with the fruit of his ways,
    and ^(U)a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
^15 (V)The simple believes everything,
    but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
^16 (W)One who is wise is cautious^[d] and ^(X)turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and careless.
¹⁷ A man of ^(Y)quick temper acts foolishly,
    and a man of evil devices is hated.
¹⁸ The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
^19 (Z)The evil bow down before the good,
    the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
^20 (AA)The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
    ^(AB)but the rich has many friends.
²¹ Whoever ^(AC)despises his neighbor is a sinner,
    but ^(AD)blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
²² Do they not go astray who ^(AE)devise evil?
    Those who devise good meet^{[e] (AF)}steadfast love and faithfulness.
²³ In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk ^(AG)tends only to poverty.
²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the folly of fools brings folly.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
    but one who ^(AH)breathes out lies is deceitful.
²⁶ In the fear of the Lord one has ^(AI)strong confidence,
    and ^(AJ)his children will have ^(AK)a refuge.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord is ^(AL)a fountain of life,
    that one may ^(AM)turn away from the snares of death.
²⁸ In ^(AN)a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
    but without people a prince is ruined.
²⁹ Whoever is ^(AO)slow to anger has great understanding,
    but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
³⁰ A tranquil^[f] heart gives ^(AP)life to the flesh,
    but ^(AQ)envy^[g] makes ^(AR)the bones rot.
³¹ Whoever oppresses a poor man ^(AS)insults his ^(AT)Maker,
    ^(AU)but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
^32 (AV)The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
    but ^(AW)the righteous finds refuge in his death.
³³ Wisdom ^(AX)rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
    but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.^[h]
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to any people.
³⁵ A servant who deals wisely has ^(AY)the king's favor,
    but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
15 ^(AZ)A soft answer turns away wrath,
    but ^(BA)a harsh word stirs up anger.
² The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
    but ^(BB)the mouths of fools pour out folly.
^3 (BC)The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
    keeping watch on the evil and the good.
^4 (BD)A gentle^[i] tongue is ^(BE)a tree of life,
    but ^(BF)perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
^5 (BG)A fool ^(BH)despises his father's instruction,
    but ^(BI)whoever heeds reproof is prudent.
⁶ In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
    but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
^7 (BJ)The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
    ^(BK)not so the hearts of fools.^[j]
8 (BL)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but ^(BM)the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but he loves him ^(BN)who pursues righteousness.
¹⁰ There is ^(BO)severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
    ^(BP)whoever hates reproof will die.
¹¹ Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;
    how much more ^(BQ)the hearts of the children of man!
^12 (BR)A scoffer ^(BS)does not like to be reproved;
    he will not go to the wise.
^13 (BT)A glad heart makes a cheerful face,
    but by ^(BU)sorrow of heart the spirit is ^(BV)crushed.
^14 (BW)The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
¹⁵ All the days of the afflicted are evil,
    but ^(BX)the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
^16 (BY)Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great treasure and trouble with it.
^17 (BZ)Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
    than ^(CA)a fattened ox and hatred with it.
^18 (CB)A hot-tempered man ^(CC)stirs up strife,
    but he who is ^(CD)slow to anger quiets contention.
¹⁹ The way of ^(CE)a sluggard is like a hedge of ^(CF)thorns,
    but the path of the upright is ^(CG)a level highway.
^20 (CH)A wise son makes a glad father,
    but a foolish man despises his mother.
^21 (CI)Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
    but a man of understanding ^(CJ)walks straight ahead.
^22 (CK)Without counsel plans fail,
    but with many advisers they succeed.
²³ To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
    and ^(CL)a word in season, how good it is!
²⁴ The path of life leads upward ^(CM)for the prudent,
    that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
²⁵ The Lord tears down the house of ^(CN)the proud
    but ^(CO)maintains ^(CP)the widow's boundaries.
^26 (CQ)The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
    but ^(CR)gracious words are pure.
²⁷ Whoever is ^(CS)greedy for unjust gain ^(CT)troubles his own household,
    but he who hates ^(CU)bribes will live.
²⁸ The heart of the righteous ^(CV)ponders how to answer,
    but ^(CW)the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
²⁹ The Lord is ^(CX)far from the wicked,
    but he ^(CY)hears the prayer of the righteous.
^30 (CZ)The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
    and ^(DA)good news refreshes^[k] the bones.
^31 (DB)The ear that listens to ^(DC)life-giving reproof
    will dwell among the wise.
³² Whoever ^(DD)ignores instruction ^(DE)despises himself,
    but he who listens to reproof ^(DF)gains intelligence.
^33 (DG)The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
    and ^(DH)humility comes before honor.