Proverbs 14:9-31

English Standard Version

^9 (A)Fools mock at the guilt offering,
    but the upright enjoy acceptance.^[a]
10 The heart knows its own ^(B)bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
^11 (C)The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
^12 (D)There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but ^(E)its end is the way to death.^[b]
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
    and ^(F)the end of joy may be ^(G)grief.
¹⁴ The backslider in heart will be ^(H)filled with the fruit of his ways,
    and ^(I)a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
^15 (J)The simple believes everything,
    but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
^16 (K)One who is wise is cautious^[c] and ^(L)turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and careless.
¹⁷ A man of ^(M)quick temper acts foolishly,
    and a man of evil devices is hated.
¹⁸ The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
^19 (N)The evil bow down before the good,
    the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
^20 (O)The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
    ^(P)but the rich has many friends.
²¹ Whoever ^(Q)despises his neighbor is a sinner,
    but ^(R)blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
²² Do they not go astray who ^(S)devise evil?
    Those who devise good meet^{[d] (T)}steadfast love and faithfulness.
²³ In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk ^(U)tends only to poverty.
²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the folly of fools brings folly.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
    but one who ^(V)breathes out lies is deceitful.
²⁶ In the fear of the Lord one has ^(W)strong confidence,
    and ^(X)his children will have ^(Y)a refuge.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord is ^(Z)a fountain of life,
    that one may ^(AA)turn away from the snares of death.
²⁸ In ^(AB)a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
    but without people a prince is ruined.
²⁹ Whoever is ^(AC)slow to anger has great understanding,
    but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
³⁰ A tranquil^[e] heart gives ^(AD)life to the flesh,
    but ^(AE)envy^[f] makes ^(AF)the bones rot.
³¹ Whoever oppresses a poor man ^(AG)insults his ^(AH)Maker,
    ^(AI)but he who is generous to the needy honors him.