The Ways of Life and Death

14 The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
(A)But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.

In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,
(B)But the lips of the wise will preserve them.

Where no oxen are, the [a]trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.

A (C)faithful witness does not lie,
But a false witness will utter (D)lies.

A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But (E)knowledge is easy to him who understands.
Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of (F)knowledge.
The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.

(G)Fools mock at [b]sin,
But among the upright there is favor.

10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.

11 (H)The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.

12 (I)There is a way that seems right to a man,
But (J)its end is the way of (K)death.

13 Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And (L)the end of mirth may be grief.

14 The backslider in heart will be (M)filled with his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied [c]from (N)above.

15 The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
16 (O)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 (P)The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,
But [d]the rich has many (Q)friends.
21 He who despises his neighbor sins;
(R)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 [e]idle chatter leads only to poverty.

24 The crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is folly.

25 A true witness [f]delivers (S)souls,
But a deceitful witness speaks lies.

26 In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
27 (T)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.

29 (U)He who is slow to wrath has great understanding,
But he who is [g]impulsive exalts folly.

30 A sound heart is life to the body,
But (V)envy is (W)rottenness to the bones.

31 (X)He who oppresses the poor reproaches (Y)his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.

32 The wicked is banished in his wickedness,
But (Z)the righteous has a refuge in his death.

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But (AA)what is in the heart of fools is made known.

34 Righteousness exalts a (AB)nation,
But sin is a [h]reproach to any people.

35 (AC)The king’s favor is toward a wise servant,
But his wrath is against him who causes shame.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:4 manger or feed trough
  2. Proverbs 14:9 Lit. guilt
  3. Proverbs 14:14 Lit. from above himself
  4. Proverbs 14:20 Lit. many are the lovers of the rich
  5. Proverbs 14:23 Lit. talk of the lips
  6. Proverbs 14:25 saves lives
  7. Proverbs 14:29 Lit. short of spirit
  8. Proverbs 14:34 shame or disgrace

14 Every wise woman buildeth her house;
But [a]the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
He that walketh in his uprightness feareth Jehovah;
But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his pride;
But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean;
But much increase is by the strength of the ox.
A faithful witness will not lie;
But a false witness [b]uttereth lies.
A scoffer seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not;
But knowledge is easy unto him that hath understanding.
[c]Go into the presence of a foolish man,
And thou shalt not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.
The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way;
But the folly of fools is deceit.
[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

  1. Proverbs 14:1 Hebrew folly.
  2. Proverbs 14:5 Hebrew breatheth out.
  3. Proverbs 14:7 Or, Go from . . . For thou wilt not etc.
  4. Proverbs 14:9 Or, Fools make a mock at sin
  5. Proverbs 14:9 Or, the favor of God
  6. Proverbs 14:12 Or, is straight before
  7. Proverbs 14:22 Or, Shall they not go astray
  8. Proverbs 14:24 Or, Their riches is a crown unto the wise
  9. Proverbs 14:25 Hebrew breatheth out.
  10. Proverbs 14:26 Or, the children of him that hath it
  11. Proverbs 14:29 Or, carrieth away
  12. Proverbs 14:30 Or, jealousy
  13. Proverbs 14:32 Or, calamity
  14. Proverbs 14:33 Or, And in the midst of fools it maketh itself known
  15. Proverbs 14:34 Hebrew peoples.
  16. Proverbs 14:35 Or, doeth shamefully