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Proverbs 12-14
New King James Version
Proverbs 12-14
New King James Version
The House of the Righteous Shall Stand
12 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
But he who hates correction is stupid.
2 A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.
3 A man is not established by wickedness,
But the (A)root of the righteous cannot be moved.
4 (B)An[a] excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who causes shame is (C)like rottenness in his bones.
5 The thoughts of the righteous are right,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
6 (D)The words of the wicked are, “Lie in wait for blood,”
(E)But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.
7 (F)The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand.
8 A man will be commended according to his wisdom,
(G)But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.
9 (H)Better is the one who is [b]slighted but has a servant,
Than he who honors himself but lacks bread.
10 (I)A righteous man regards the life of his animal,
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
11 (J)He who [c]tills his land will be satisfied with (K)bread,
But he who follows [d]frivolity (L)is devoid of [e]understanding.
12 The wicked covet the catch of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
13 (M)The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
(N)But the righteous will come through trouble.
14 (O)A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth,
(P)And the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.
15 (Q)The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who heeds counsel is wise.
16 (R)A fool’s wrath is known at once,
But a prudent man covers shame.
17 (S)He who speaks truth declares righteousness,
But a false witness, deceit.
18 (T)There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
19 The truthful lip shall be established forever,
(U)But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
21 (V)No grave [f]trouble will overtake the righteous,
But the wicked shall be filled with evil.
22 (W)Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
23 (X)A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.
24 (Y)The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.
26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27 The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man’s precious possession.
28 In the way of righteousness is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.
Wisdom Loves Righteousness
13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
(AB)But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 (AC)A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth,
But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.
3 (AD)He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.
4 (AE)The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;
But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.
5 A righteous man hates lying,
But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.
6 (AF)Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,
But wickedness overthrows the sinner.
7 (AG)There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing;
And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.
8 The ransom of a man’s life is his riches,
But the poor does not hear rebuke.
9 The light of the righteous rejoices,
(AH)But the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
10 By pride comes nothing but (AI)strife,
But with the well-advised is wisdom.
11 (AJ)Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished,
But he who gathers by labor will increase.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But (AK)when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
13 He who (AL)despises the word will be destroyed,
But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
14 (AM)The law of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from (AN)the snares of death.
15 Good understanding [g]gains (AO)favor,
But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
16 (AP)Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool lays open his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
But (AQ)a faithful ambassador brings health.
18 Poverty and shame will come to him who [h]disdains correction,
But (AR)he who regards a rebuke will be honored.
19 A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.
21 (AS)Evil pursues sinners,
But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
But (AT)the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
25 (AW)The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul,
But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.
The Ways of Life and Death
14 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,
(AX)But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.
3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,
(AY)But the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where no oxen are, the [l]trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But (BB)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 (BC)knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
11 (BE)The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
13 Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And (BI)the end of mirth may be grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be (BJ)filled with his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied [n]from (BK)above.
15 The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
16 (BL)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 (BM)The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,
But [o]the rich has many (BN)friends.
21 He who despises his neighbor sins;
(BO)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 [p]idle chatter leads only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is folly.
26 In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
27 (BQ)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.
31 (BU)He who oppresses the poor reproaches (BV)his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.
32 The wicked is banished in his wickedness,
But (BW)the righteous has a refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But (BX)what is in the heart of fools is made known.
35 (BZ)The king’s favor is toward a wise servant,
But his wrath is against him who causes shame.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 12:4 Lit. A wife of valor
- Proverbs 12:9 lightly esteemed
- Proverbs 12:11 works or cultivates
- Proverbs 12:11 Lit. vain things
- Proverbs 12:11 Lit. heart
- Proverbs 12:21 harm
- Proverbs 13:15 gives
- Proverbs 13:18 Lit. ignores
- Proverbs 13:23 uncultivated
- Proverbs 13:23 Lit. what is swept away
- Proverbs 13:24 early
- Proverbs 14:4 manger or feed trough
- Proverbs 14:9 Lit. guilt
- Proverbs 14:14 Lit. from above himself
- Proverbs 14:20 Lit. many are the lovers of the rich
- Proverbs 14:23 Lit. talk of the lips
- Proverbs 14:25 saves lives
- Proverbs 14:29 Lit. short of spirit
- Proverbs 14:34 shame or disgrace
Proverbs 12-14
New International Version
Proverbs 12-14
New International Version
12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but whoever hates correction is stupid.(A)
3 No one can be established through wickedness,
but the righteous cannot be uprooted.(D)
4 A wife of noble character(E) is her husband’s crown,
but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.(F)
5 The plans of the righteous are just,
but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.
6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.(G)
8 A person is praised according to their prudence,
and one with a warped(J) mind is despised.
9 Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
than pretend to be somebody and have no food.
10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,(K)
but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
11 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies have no sense.(L)
12 The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
but the root of the righteous endures.
14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,(O)
and the work of their hands brings them reward.(P)
17 An honest witness tells the truth,
but a false witness tells lies.(V)
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
but those who promote peace have joy.(Y)
21 No harm overtakes the righteous,(Z)
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
24 Diligent hands will rule,
but laziness ends in forced labor.(AF)
25 Anxiety weighs down the heart,(AG)
but a kind word cheers it up.
26 The righteous choose their friends carefully,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.(AH)
27 The lazy do not roast[a] any game,
but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.
28 In the way of righteousness there is life;(AI)
along that path is immortality.
13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.(AJ)
2 From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,(AK)
but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.
3 Those who guard their lips(AL) preserve their lives,(AM)
but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.(AN)
4 A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,(AO)
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
5 The righteous hate what is false,(AP)
but the wicked make themselves a stench
and bring shame on themselves.
6 Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.(AQ)
7 One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;(AR)
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.(AS)
8 A person’s riches may ransom their life,
but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.(AT)
9 The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.(AU)
10 Where there is strife, there is pride,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.(AV)
11 Dishonest money dwindles away,(AW)
but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.(AX)
13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,(AY)
but whoever respects(AZ) a command is rewarded.(BA)
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,(BB)
turning a person from the snares of death.(BC)
15 Good judgment wins favor,
but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.[b]
18 Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,(BH)
but whoever heeds correction is honored.(BI)
19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,(BJ)
but fools detest turning from evil.
20 Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.(BK)
22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.(BO)
23 An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
but injustice sweeps it away.
24 Whoever spares the rod(BP) hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline(BQ) them.(BR)
25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,
but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.(BS)
14 The wise woman builds her house,(BT)
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
2 Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly,
but those who despise him are devious in their ways.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but from the strength of an ox(BW) come abundant harvests.
5 An honest witness does not deceive,
but a false witness pours out lies.(BX)
6 The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.(BY)
7 Stay away from a fool,
for you will not find knowledge on their lips.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,(BZ)
but the folly of fools is deception.(CA)
9 Fools mock at making amends for sin,
but goodwill is found among the upright.
10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,
and no one else can share its joy.
13 Even in laughter(CF) the heart may ache,
and rejoicing may end in grief.
15 The simple believe anything,
but the prudent give thought to their steps.(CI)
17 A quick-tempered person(CL) does foolish things,(CM)
and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.(CN)
18 The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good,
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.(CO)
20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.(CP)
22 Do not those who plot evil go astray?(CS)
But those who plan what is good find[d] love and faithfulness.
23 All hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 The wealth of the wise is their crown,
but the folly of fools yields folly.(CT)
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but a false witness is deceitful.(CU)
26 Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,(CV)
and for their children it will be a refuge.(CW)
28 A large population is a king’s glory,
but without subjects a prince is ruined.(CZ)
29 Whoever is patient has great understanding,(DA)
but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.(DB)
30 A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.(DC)
31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,(DD)
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.(DE)
32 When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down,(DF)
but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.(DG)
33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning(DH)
and even among fools she lets herself be known.[e]
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,(DI)
but sin condemns any people.
35 A king delights in a wise servant,
but a shameful servant arouses his fury.(DJ)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 12:27 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Proverbs 13:15 Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Proverbs 13:16 Or prudent protect themselves through
- Proverbs 14:22 Or show
- Proverbs 14:33 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac discerning / but in the heart of fools she is not known
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.