Proverbs 14:9-27

New American Standard Bible

⁹ Fools mock at ^[a]sin,
But ^(A)among the upright there is ^[b]goodwill.
¹⁰ The heart knows its own ^(B)bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
¹¹ The ^(C)house of the wicked will be destroyed,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
¹² There ^(D)is a way which seems right to a person,
But its ^(E)end is the way of death.
¹³ Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the ^(F)end of joy may be grief.
¹⁴ One with a wayward heart will have his ^(G)fill of his own ways,
But a good person will ^(H)be satisfied ^[c]with his.
¹⁵ The naive believes everything,
But the sensible person considers his steps.
¹⁶ A wise person ^[d]is cautious and ^(I)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 ^(J)evil will bow down before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
²⁰ The ^(K)poor is hated even by his neighbor,
But those who love the rich are many.
²¹ One who ^(L)despises his neighbor sins,
But ^(M)one who is gracious to the ^[e]poor is blessed.
²² Will they who ^(N)devise evil not go astray?
But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.
²³ In all labor there is profit,
But ^[f]mere talk leads only to poverty.
²⁴ The ^(O)crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is simply foolishness.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
But one who ^(P)declares lies is ^[g]deceitful.
²⁶ In ^[h](Q)the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And ^[i]his children will have refuge.
^27 [j]The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
By which one may avoid the snares of death.