Proverbs 14
Revised Standard Version
14 Wisdom[a] builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down.
2 He who walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
3 The talk of a fool is a rod for his back,[b]
but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, there is no[c] grain;
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but 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 a prudent man is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9 God scorns the wicked,[d]
but the upright enjoy his favor.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way which seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.[e]
13 Even in laughter the heart is sad,
and the end of joy is grief.
14 A perverse man will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man with the fruit of his deeds.[f]
15 The simple believes everything,
but the prudent looks where he is going.
16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil,
but a fool throws off restraint and is careless.
17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
but a man of discretion is patient.[g]
18 The simple acquire folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
but the rich has many friends.
21 He who despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but happy is he who is kind to the poor.
22 Do they not err that devise evil?
Those who devise good meet loyalty and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to want.
24 The crown of the wise is their wisdom,[h]
but folly is the garland[i] of fools.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who utters lies is a betrayer.
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may avoid the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30 A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh,
but passion makes the bones rot.
31 He who oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is kind to the needy honors him.
32 The wicked is overthrown through his evil-doing,
but the righteous finds refuge through his integrity.[j]
33 Wisdom abides in the mind of a man of understanding,
but it is not[k] known in the heart of fools.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:1 Heb Wisdom of women
- Proverbs 14:3 Cn: Heb a rod of pride
- Proverbs 14:4 Cn: Heb a manger of
- Proverbs 14:9 Cn: Heb obscure
- Proverbs 14:12 Heb ways of death
- Proverbs 14:14 Cn: Heb from upon him
- Proverbs 14:17 Gk: Heb is hated
- Proverbs 14:24 Cn Compare Gk: Heb riches
- Proverbs 14:24 Cn: Heb folly
- Proverbs 14:32 Gk Syr: Heb in his death
- Proverbs 14:33 Gk Syr: Heb lacks not
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
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)