Proverbs 14
Lexham English Bible
14 The wisest of women[a] builds her house,
but the foolish tears it down with her hands.
2 He who walks in uprightness fears Yahweh,
but he who is devious in his ways displeases him.
3 In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride,
but the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 When there are no[b] oxen the manger is empty,
but an abundance of crops comes by the strength of an ox.[c]
5 A faithful witness does not lie,
but he who breathes out falsehood is a witness of deceit.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom, but there is none,
but knowledge comes easily to him who understands.[d]
7 Leave the presence of a foolish man,[e]
for you will not come to know words of knowledge.[f]
8 The wisdom of the clever is understanding his ways,
but the folly of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock[g] the guilt offering,
but among the upright, it is favorable.
10 The heart[h] knows the bitterness of its soul,[i]
but in its joy, it will not share itself with a stranger.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems upright to[j] a man,
but its end is the way of death.
13 Even in laughter, a heart may be sad,
and the end of joy may be grief.
14 From his ways, the perverse of heart will be satisfied,
and from his own,[k] so shall a good man.
15 The simple will believe every word,
but the clever will consider his step.
16 The wise is cautious and turns from evil,
but the fool throws off restraint and is confident.
17 He who is short of temper[l] will act foolishly,
and the man who schemes will be hated.
18 The simple are adorned with folly,
but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good,
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
but the lovers of the rich are many.
21 He who despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but he who has mercy on the poor blesses him.
22 Have they not erred, those who plan evil?
But loyalty and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.
23 In all toil, there is profit,
but the talk[m] of lips leads only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth;
the folly of fools is folly.
25 He who saves lives[n] is a witness of truth,
but he who utters lies is a betrayer.
26 In the fear of Yahweh, there is confidence of strength,
and for his children, there will be refuge.
27 The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life,
in order to turn from the snares of death.
28 In the multitude of people is the glory of the king,
but without a population, a prince is ruined.
29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
but the hasty of spirit[o] exalts folly.
30 A heart[p] of tranquility[q] is life to the flesh,
but causes bones of passion to rot.
31 He who oppresses the poor insults him who made him,
but he who has mercy on the poor honors him.
32 By his evildoing, the wicked will be overthrown,
and the righteous will find refuge in his death.
33 In the heart[r] of him who has understanding, wisdom rests,
but even in the midst of fools it becomes known.
34 Righteousness will exalt a nation,
but sin is a reproach to a people.
35 The favor of a king is for the servant who deals wisely,
but his wrath will be on him who acts shamefully.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:1 Literally “wise ones of women”
- Proverbs 14:4 Literally “In there is no”
- Proverbs 14:4 Hebrew “bull”
- Proverbs 14:6 Literally “to one who understands it comes easy”
- Proverbs 14:7 Literally “from the presence belonging to a man of foolishness”
- Proverbs 14:7 Literally “lips of knowledge”
- Proverbs 14:9 Hebrew “he mocks”
- Proverbs 14:10 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 14:10 Or “life,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 14:12 Literally “to the face of”
- Proverbs 14:14 Literally “from upon him”
- Proverbs 14:17 Literally “nostril”
- Proverbs 14:23 Literally “word, matter, thing”
- Proverbs 14:25 Or “souls,” or “inner selves”
- Proverbs 14:29 Or “breath”
- Proverbs 14:30 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 14:30 Or “he who heals”
- Proverbs 14:33 Or “mind”
Proverbs 14
American Standard Version
14 Every wise woman buildeth her house;
But [a]the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth Jehovah;
But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his pride;
But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean;
But much increase is by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness will not lie;
But a false witness [b]uttereth lies.
6 A scoffer seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not;
But knowledge is easy unto him that hath understanding.
7 [c]Go into the presence of a foolish man,
And thou shalt not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way;
But the folly of fools is deceit.
9 [d]A trespass-offering mocketh fools;
But among the upright there is [e]good will.
10 The heart knoweth its own bitterness;
And a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy.
11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown;
But the tent of the upright shall flourish.
12 There is a way which [f]seemeth right unto a man;
But the end thereof are the ways of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful;
And the end of mirth is heaviness.
14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways;
And a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
15 The simple believeth every word;
But the prudent man looketh well to his going.
16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil;
But the fool beareth himself insolently, and is confident.
17 He that is soon angry will deal foolishly;
And a man of wicked devices is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly;
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good;
And the wicked, at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbor;
But the rich hath many friends.
21 He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth;
But he that hath pity on the poor, happy is he.
22 [g]Do they not err that devise evil?
But mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.
23 In all labor there is profit;
But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
24 [h]The crown of the wise is their riches;
But the folly of fools is only folly.
25 A true witness delivereth souls;
But he that [i]uttereth lies causeth deceit.
26 In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence;
And [j]his children shall have a place of refuge.
27 The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life,
That one may depart from the snares of death.
28 In the multitude of people is the king’s glory;
But in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
29 He that is slow to anger is of great understanding;
But he that is hasty of spirit [k]exalteth folly.
30 A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh;
But [l]envy is the rottenness of the bones.
31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker;
But he that hath mercy on the needy honoreth him.
32 The wicked is thrust down in his [m]evil-doing;
But the righteous hath a refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding;
[n]But that which is in the inward part of fools is made known.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation;
But sin is a reproach to [o]any people.
35 The king’s favor is toward a servant that dealeth wisely;
But his wrath will be against him that [p]causeth shame.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:1 Hebrew folly.
- Proverbs 14:5 Hebrew breatheth out.
- Proverbs 14:7 Or, Go from . . . For thou wilt not etc.
- Proverbs 14:9 Or, Fools make a mock at sin
- Proverbs 14:9 Or, the favor of God
- Proverbs 14:12 Or, is straight before
- Proverbs 14:22 Or, Shall they not go astray
- Proverbs 14:24 Or, Their riches is a crown unto the wise
- Proverbs 14:25 Hebrew breatheth out.
- Proverbs 14:26 Or, the children of him that hath it
- Proverbs 14:29 Or, carrieth away
- Proverbs 14:30 Or, jealousy
- Proverbs 14:32 Or, calamity
- Proverbs 14:33 Or, And in the midst of fools it maketh itself known
- Proverbs 14:34 Hebrew peoples.
- Proverbs 14:35 Or, doeth shamefully
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