Proverbs 14
Christian Standard Bible
2 Whoever lives with integrity fears the Lord,(C)
but the one who is devious in his ways despises him.(D)
3 The proud speech of a fool brings a rod of discipline,[a]
but the lips of the wise protect them.(E)
4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty,[b]
but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of an ox.
5 An honest witness does not deceive,
but a dishonest witness utters lies.(F)
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and doesn’t find it,
but knowledge comes easily to the perceptive.
7 Stay away from a foolish person;
you will gain no knowledge from his speech.(G)
8 The sensible person’s wisdom is to consider his way,
but the stupidity of fools deceives them.
9 Fools mock at making reparation,[c]
but there is goodwill among the upright.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no outsider shares in its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.(H)
13 Even in laughter a heart may be sad,
and joy may end in grief.(K)
14 The disloyal one will get what his conduct deserves,
and a good one, what his deeds deserve.(L)
16 A wise person is cautious and turns from evil,(N)
but a fool is easily angered and is careless.[e]
17 A quick-tempered person acts foolishly,
and one who schemes is hated.(O)
18 The inexperienced inherit foolishness,
but the sensible are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow before those who are good,
and the wicked, at the gates of the righteous.
21 The one who despises his neighbor sins,(R)
but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.(S)
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the foolishness of fools produces foolishness.
25 A truthful witness rescues lives,
but one who utters lies is deceitful.(W)
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence
and his children have a refuge.(X)
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
turning people away from the snares of death.(Y)
28 A large population is a king’s splendor,
but a shortage of people is a ruler’s devastation.
29 A patient person shows great understanding,(Z)
but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness.
31 The one who oppresses the poor person insults his Maker,(AC)
but one who is kind to the needy honors him.(AD)
32 The wicked one is thrown down by his own sin,(AE)
but the righteous one has a refuge in his death.(AF)
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a disgrace to any people.(AH)
35 A king favors a prudent servant,(AI)
but his anger falls on a disgraceful one.
Proverbs 14
International Standard Version
How Wise People Live
14 Every wise woman builds up her household,
but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
2 Someone whose conduct is upright fears the Lord,
but whoever is devious in his ways despises him.
3 What a fool says brings[a] a rod to his back,
but the words of the wise protect them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean,
but profits come through the strength of the ox.
5 A trustworthy witness does not deceive,
but a false witness spews lies.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and finds[b] none,
but learning comes easily to someone who understands.
7 Stay away from a foolish man,
for you will not find competent advice.
8 The wisdom of the prudent helps him know how to live,
but a fool’s stupidity deceives him.
9 Fools make fun of guilt,
but among the upright there are good intentions.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness—
an outsider cannot share in its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a pathway that seems right to a man,
but in the end it’s a road to death.
13 Even in laughter there may be heartache,
and at the end of joy there may be grief.
14 The faithless one will pay for his behavior,[c]
but a good man will be rewarded[d] for his.
15 An unthinking person believes everything,
but the prudent one thinks before acting.[e]
16 The wise person fears and turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and overconfident.
17 A quick tempered person does foolish things,
and a devious man is hated.
18 The naïve inherit folly,
but the careful are crowned with knowledge.
19 Evil men will bow down in the presence of good men
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor person is shunned by his neighbor,
but many are the friends of the wealthy.
21 Whoever despises his neighbor sins,
but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.
22 Won’t those who plot evil go astray?
But gracious love and truth are for those who plan what is good.
23 In hard work there is always profit,
but too much chattering[f] leads to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the stupidity of fools is just that—stupidity!
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but the person who lies is deceitful.
26 Rock-solid security is found[g] in the fear of the Lord,
and within it one’s children find refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
enabling anyone to escape the snares of death.
28 A large population is a king’s glory,
but a shortage of people is a ruler’s ruin.
29 Being slow to get angry compares to great understanding
as being quick-tempered compares to stupidity.
30 A tranquil mind brings life to one’s body,
but jealousy causes one’s bones to rot.
31 Whoever oppresses the poor defies their Creator,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors them.
32 The wicked person is thrown down by his own wrongdoing,
but the righteous person has a place of safety in death.[h]
33 Wisdom is at rest in the mind of the discerning—
even fools know this.[i]
34 Righteousness makes a nation great,
but sin diminishes[j] any people.
35 The king approves the wise servant,
but he is angry at anyone who acts shamefully.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:3 Lit. The mouth of the fool
- Proverbs 14:6 The Heb. lacks finds
- Proverbs 14:14 Lit. ways
- Proverbs 14:14 The Heb. lacks will be rewarded
- Proverbs 14:15 Lit. one considers his steps
- Proverbs 14:23 Lit. word of lips
- Proverbs 14:26 The Heb. lacks is found
- Proverbs 14:32 So MT DSS 4QProvb; LXX reads in his own piety
- Proverbs 14:33 So MT; LXX reads but in the heart of fools it is not discerned
- Proverbs 14:34 So DSS 4QProb LXX; MT reads sin is a disgrace to
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
