Proverbs 14
1599 Geneva Bible
14 1 A wise woman [a]buildeth her house: but the foolish destroyeth it with her own hands.
2 (A)He that walketh in his [b]righteousness, feareth the Lord: but he that is lewd in his ways, despiseth him.
3 In the mouth of the foolish is the [c]rod of pride: but the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Where none [d]oxen are, there the crib is empty: but much increase cometh by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false record will speak lies.
6 [e]A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy to him that will understand.
7 Depart from the foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the foolishness of the fools is deceit.
9 The fool maketh a mock of [f]sin: but among the righteous there is favor.
10 The heart knoweth the [g]bitterness of his soul, and the stranger shall not meddle with his joy.
11 The house of the wicked shall be destroyed: but the tabernacle of the righteous shall flourish.
12 (B)There is a way that seemeth right to a man: but the issues thereof are the ways of death.
13 Even in laughing the heart is sorrowful, [h]and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
14 The heart that declineth, [i]shall be satiated with his own ways: but a good man shall depart from him.
15 The foolish will believe everything: but the prudent will consider his steps.
16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil, but a fool rageth, and is careless.
17 He that is hasty to anger, commiteth folly, and a [j]busybody is hated.
18 The foolish do inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil shall bow before the good, and the wicked [k]at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbor: but the friends of the rich are many.
21 The sinner despiseth his neighbor: but he that hath mercy on the poor, is blessed.
22 Do not they err that imagine evil? but to them that think on good things, shall be mercy and truth.
23 In all labor there is abundance: but the talk of the lips bringeth only want.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches, and the folly of fools is foolishness.
25 A faithful witness delivereth souls: but a deceiver speaketh lies.
26 In the fear of the Lord is an assured strength, and his children shall have hope.
27 The fear of the Lord is as a wellspring of life, to avoid the snares of death.
28 In the multitude of the [l]people is the honor of a King, and for the want of people cometh the destruction of the Prince.
29 He that is slow to wrath, is of great wisdom: but he that is of an hasty mind, exalteth folly.
30 A sound heart is the life of the [m]flesh: but envy is the rotting of the bones.
31 (C)He that oppresseth the poor, reproveth him that made him: but he honoreth him, that hath mercy on the poor.
32 The wicked shall be cast away for his malice: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding, and is known [n]in the midst of fools.
34 Justice exalteth a nation, [o]but sin is a shame to the people.
35 The pleasure of a King is in a wise servant: but his wrath shall be toward him that is lewd.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:1 That is, taketh pain to profit her family, and to do that which concerneth her duty in her house.
- Proverbs 14:2 That is, in uprightness of heart, and without hypocrisy.
- Proverbs 14:3 His proud tongue shall cause him to be punished.
- Proverbs 14:4 By the ox is meant labor, and by the crib the barn: meaning, without labor there is no profit.
- Proverbs 14:6 For the maintenance of his own ambition, and not for God’s glory, as Simon Magus.
- Proverbs 14:9 Doth not know the grievousness thereof, nor God’s judgments against the same.
- Proverbs 14:10 As a man’s conscience is witness of his own grief, so another cannot feel the joy and comfort which a man feeleth in himself.
- Proverbs 14:13 He showeth the allurement unto sin, seemeth sweet, but the end thereof is destruction.
- Proverbs 14:14 He that forsaketh God shall be punished, and made weary of his sins, wherein he delighted.
- Proverbs 14:17 Hebrew, the man of imaginations.
- Proverbs 14:19 If this come not daily to pass, we must consider that it is because of our sins, which let God’s working.
- Proverbs 14:28 That is, the strength of a king standeth in many people.
- Proverbs 14:30 Or, body.
- Proverbs 14:33 Forasmuch as they are convicted thereby and put to silence.
- Proverbs 14:34 Or, and the mercy of the people is a sacrifice for sin.
Proverbs 14
Wycliffe Bible
14 A wise woman buildeth her house; and an unwise woman shall destroy with hands, that is, with her evil works, an house builded. (A wise woman buildeth up her own house; but an unwise woman shall destroy with her own hands, that is, with her own evil works, the house that she hath built.)
2 A man going in rightful way, and dreading God, is despised of him that goeth in the way of evil fame. (A person who doeth right, and feareth God/and revereth God, is despised by him who goeth in evil ways.)
3 The rod of pride is in the mouth of a fool; the lips of wise men keep them (but the lips of the wise keep them safe).
4 Where oxen be not, the cratch is void (the stall is empty); but where full many corns appear, there the strength of the ox is [made] open.
5 A faithful witness shall not lie; a guileful witness bringeth forth a leasing (a deceitful witness bringeth forth many lies).
6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and he findeth it not (A mocker seeketh wisdom, but never findeth it); the teaching of prudent men is easy.
7 Go thou against a man a fool; and he shall not know the lips of prudence. (Go thou away from a foolish person; for he shall not speak words of understanding, that is, sensible words.)
8 The wisdom of a fell man is to understand his way; and the unwariness of fools erreth. (The wisdom of a clever person is to understand his own way; but the carelessness of fools maketh them to err.)
9 A fool scorneth sin; grace shall dwell among just men. (A fool mocketh sin; favour shall dwell among the righteous.)
10 The heart that knoweth the bitterness of his soul; a stranger shall not be meddled in the joy thereof. (The heart knoweth the bitterness of its own soul; a stranger cannot be mixed in, or mingled, with its joy.)
11 The house of wicked men shall be done away; the tabernacles of just men shall burgeon. (The houses of the wicked shall be done away; but the homes of the righteous shall flourish.)
12 Soothly a way is, that seemeth just to a man (Truly there is a way, that seemeth right to a person); but the last things thereof lead forth to death.
13 Laughing shall be meddled with sorrow (Laughter shall be mixed, or mingled, with sorrow); and mourning occupieth the last things of joy.
14 A fool shall be filled with his ways; and a good man shall be above him. (A fool shall reap the fruit of his foolish ways; and a good person that of his deeds, or of his labour.)
15 An innocent man believeth to each word; a fell man beholdeth his goings. (An innocent person believeth each and every word; a clever person regardeth, or watcheth, his own steps.)
16 A wise man dreadeth, and boweth away from evil; a fool skippeth over, and trusteth.
17 A man unpatient shall work folly; and a guileful man is odious. (An impatient person will act foolishly; and a deceitful person is odious.)
18 Little men of wit shall hold folly; and fell men shall abide knowing. (People of little wit, or of low intelligence, shall hold fast to foolishness; but clever people shall gain understanding.)
19 Evil men shall lie (down) before good men; and unpious men before the gates of just men. (Evil people shall lie down before good people; and the wicked shall bow before the gates of the righteous.)
20 A poor man shall be (thought) hateful, yea, (even) to his neighbour; but many men be (the) friends of rich men.
21 He that despiseth his neighbour, doeth sin; but he that doeth mercy to a poor man, shall be blessed.
22 He that believeth in the Lord, loveth mercy; they err that work evil. Mercy and truth make ready goods (Mercy and truth bring forth good things);
23 abundance shall be in each good work/in every good work. Soothly where full many words be, there neediness is oft (Truly, where there be a great many words, there often is neediness, or lack, or want).
24 The crown of wise men is the riches of them; the folly of fools is unwariness. (The reward of the wise is their riches; the foolishness of fools is their recklessness.)
25 A faithful witness delivereth souls; and a false man bringeth forth leasings. (A faithful witness saveth lives; but a false accuser bringeth forth only lies.)
26 In the dread of the Lord is trust of strength; and hope shall be to the sons of him. (He who feareth the Lord/He who revereth the Lord hath trust in his strength; and his sons and daughters shall have hope and security.)
27 The dread of the Lord is a well of life; that it bow away from the falling of death. (The fear of the Lord/Reverence for the Lord is a well of life; yea, so that thou turn away from deadly traps, or snares.)
28 The dignity of the king is in the multitude of (his) people; and the shame of a prince is in the fewness of (his) people.
29 He that is patient, is governed by much wisdom; but he that is unpatient, enhanceth his folly.
30 (The) Health of (the) heart is the life of (the) flesh; envy is (the) rot of (the) bones.
31 He that falsely challengeth a needy man, despiseth his maker; but he that hath mercy on a poor man, honoureth his maker. (He who oppresseth the needy, despiseth his Maker; but he who hath mercy on the poor, honoureth his Maker.)
32 A wicked man is put out for his malice; but a just man hopeth in his death. (A wicked person is brought down by his own malice; but a righteous person hath hope in his death.)
33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of a wise man; and he shall teach all unlearned men. (Wisdom resteth in the hearts of the wise; and they shall teach all the unlearned.)
34 Rightfulness raiseth [up] a folk; sin maketh peoples wretches. (Uprightness raiseth up the nation; sin maketh people into wretches.)
35 A servant understanding is acceptable to a king; a servant unprofitable shall suffer the wrathfulness of him. (An understanding servant shall receive the king’s favour; an unprofitable servant shall suffer his wrath.)
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
2001 by Terence P. Noble