Proverbs 14
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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:3 Or In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride
- Proverbs 14:9 Hebrew but among the upright is acceptance
- Proverbs 14:12 Hebrew ways of death
- Proverbs 14:16 Or fears [the Lord]
- Proverbs 14:22 Or show
- Proverbs 14:30 Or healing
- Proverbs 14:30 Or jealousy
- Proverbs 14:33 Or Wisdom rests quietly in the heart of a man of understanding, but makes itself known in the midst of fools
Proverbs 14
New American Standard Bible
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
14 The (A)wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
2 One who (B)walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
But one who is (C)devious in his ways despises Him.
3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back,
But (D)the lips of the wise will protect them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean;
But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.
5 A (E)trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a (F)false witness (G)declares lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
But knowledge is easy for one who has understanding.
7 Leave the (H)presence of a fool,
Or you will not [a]discern [b]words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,
But (I)the foolishness of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock at [c]sin,
But (J)among the upright there is [d]goodwill.
10 The heart knows its own (K)bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
11 The (L)house of the wicked will be destroyed,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There (M)is a way which seems right to a person,
But its (N)end is the way of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the (O)end of joy may be grief.
14 One with a wayward heart will have his (P)fill of his own ways,
But a good person will (Q)be satisfied [e]with his.
15 The naive believes everything,
But the sensible person considers his steps.
16 A wise person [f]is cautious and (R)turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.
17 A quick-tempered person acts foolishly,
And a person of evil devices is hated.
18 The naive inherit foolishness,
But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.
19 The (S)evil will bow down before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The (T)poor is hated even by his neighbor,
But those who love the rich are many.
21 One who (U)despises his neighbor sins,
But (V)one who is gracious to the [g]poor is blessed.
22 Will they who (W)devise evil not go astray?
But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.
23 In all labor there is profit,
But [h]mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 The (X)crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is simply foolishness.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
But one who (Y)declares lies is [i]deceitful.
26 In [j](Z)the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And [k]his children will have refuge.
27 [l]The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
By which one may avoid the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is a king’s glory,
But in the scarcity of people is a prince’s ruin.
29 One who is (AA)slow to anger has great understanding;
But one who is [m]quick-tempered exalts foolishness.
30 A (AB)tranquil heart is life to the body,
But jealousy is (AC)rottenness to the bones.
31 One (AD)who oppresses the poor taunts (AE)his Maker,
But one who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
32 The wicked is (AF)thrust down by his own wrongdoing,
But the (AG)righteous has a refuge when he dies.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,
But among fools it is made known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.
35 The king’s favor is toward a (AH)servant who acts wisely,
But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:7 Lit know
- Proverbs 14:7 Lit lips
- Proverbs 14:9 Lit guilt
- Proverbs 14:9 Or the favor of God
- Proverbs 14:14 Lit from himself
- Proverbs 14:16 Lit fears
- Proverbs 14:21 Or afflicted
- Proverbs 14:23 Lit word of lips
- Proverbs 14:25 Lit a fraud
- Proverbs 14:26 Or reverence for
- Proverbs 14:26 Or His
- Proverbs 14:27 Or Reverence for
- Proverbs 14:29 Lit short of spirit
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
