Proverbs 14:14-35

New King James Version

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

¹⁵ The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
^16 (C)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 (D)The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,
But ^[b]the rich has many ^(E)friends.
²¹ He who despises his neighbor sins;
^(F)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 ^[c]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 ^[d]delivers ^(G)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 (H)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 (I)He who is slow to wrath has great understanding,
But he who is ^[e]impulsive exalts folly.

³⁰ A sound heart is life to the body,
But ^(J)envy is ^(K)rottenness to the bones.

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

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

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

³⁴ Righteousness exalts a ^(P)nation,
But sin is a ^[f]reproach to any people.

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