Proverbs 14:1-27

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.