14 The wise woman builds her house,(A)
    but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly,
    but those who despise him are devious in their ways.

A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride,(B)
    but the lips of the wise protect them.(C)

Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
    but from the strength of an ox(D) come abundant harvests.

An honest witness does not deceive,
    but a false witness pours out lies.(E)

The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
    but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.(F)

Stay away from a fool,
    for you will not find knowledge on their lips.

The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,(G)
    but the folly of fools is deception.(H)

Fools mock at making amends for sin,
    but goodwill is found among the upright.

10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no one else can share its joy.

11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,(I)
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.(J)

12 There is a way that appears to be right,(K)
    but in the end it leads to death.(L)

13 Even in laughter(M) the heart may ache,
    and rejoicing may end in grief.

14 The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways,(N)
    and the good rewarded for theirs.(O)

15 The simple believe anything,
    but the prudent give thought to their steps.(P)

16 The wise fear the Lord and shun evil,(Q)
    but a fool(R) is hotheaded and yet feels secure.

17 A quick-tempered person(S) does foolish things,(T)
    and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.(U)

18 The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19 Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good,
    and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.(V)

20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
    but the rich have many friends.(W)

21 It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor,(X)
    but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.(Y)

22 Do not those who plot evil go astray?(Z)
    But those who plan what is good find[a] love and faithfulness.

23 All hard work brings a profit,
    but mere talk leads only to poverty.

24 The wealth of the wise is their crown,
    but the folly of fools yields folly.(AA)

25 A truthful witness saves lives,
    but a false witness is deceitful.(AB)

26 Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,(AC)
    and for their children it will be a refuge.(AD)

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,(AE)
    turning a person from the snares of death.(AF)

28 A large population is a king’s glory,
    but without subjects a prince is ruined.(AG)

29 Whoever is patient has great understanding,(AH)
    but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.(AI)

30 A heart at peace gives life to the body,
    but envy rots the bones.(AJ)

31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,(AK)
    but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.(AL)

32 When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down,(AM)
    but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.(AN)

33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning(AO)
    and even among fools she lets herself be known.[b]

34 Righteousness exalts a nation,(AP)
    but sin condemns any people.

35 A king delights in a wise servant,
    but a shameful servant arouses his fury.(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:22 Or show
  2. Proverbs 14:33 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac discerning / but in the heart of fools she is not known

14 A wise woman builds her house, while a foolish woman tears hers down by her own efforts.

To do right honors God; to sin is to despise him.

A rebel’s foolish talk should prick his own pride! But the wise man’s speech is respected.

An empty stable stays clean—but there is no income from an empty stable.

A truthful witness never lies; a false witness always lies.

A mocker never finds the wisdom he claims he is looking for, yet it comes easily to the man with common sense.

If you are looking for advice, stay away from fools.

The wise man looks ahead. The fool attempts to fool himself and won’t face facts.

The common bond of rebels is their guilt.[a] The common bond of godly people is goodwill.

10 Only the person involved can know his own bitterness or joy—no one else can really share it.

11 The work of the wicked will perish; the work of the godly will flourish.

12 Before every man there lies a wide and pleasant road that seems right but ends in death.

13 Laughter cannot mask a heavy heart. When the laughter ends, the grief remains.

14 The backslider gets bored with himself; the godly man’s life is exciting.

15 Only a simpleton believes everything he’s told! A prudent man understands the need for proof.

16 A wise man is cautious and avoids danger; a fool plunges ahead with great confidence.

17 A short-tempered man is a fool. He hates the man who is patient.

18 The simpleton is crowned with folly; the wise man is crowned with knowledge.

19 Evil men shall bow before the godly.

20-21 Even his own neighbors despise the poor man, while the rich have many “friends.” But to despise the poor is to sin. Blessed are those who help them.

22 Those who plot evil shall wander away and be lost, but those who plan good shall be granted mercy and quietness.

23 Work brings profit; talk brings poverty!

24 Wise men are praised for their wisdom; fools are despised for their folly.

25 A witness who tells the truth saves good men from being sentenced to death, but a false witness is a traitor.

26 Reverence for God gives a man deep strength; his children have a place of refuge and security.

27 Reverence for the Lord is a fountain of life; its waters keep a man from death.

28 A growing population is a king’s glory; a dwindling nation is his doom.

29 A wise man controls his temper. He knows that anger causes mistakes.

30 A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life; jealousy rots it away.

31 Anyone who oppresses the poor is insulting God who made them. To help the poor is to honor God.

32 The godly have a refuge when they die, but the wicked are crushed by their sins.

33 Wisdom is enshrined in the hearts of men of common sense, but it must shout loudly before fools will hear it.

34 Godliness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

35 A king rejoices in servants who know what they are doing; he is angry with those who cause trouble.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:9 The common bond of rebels is their guilt, or “Fools make a mock at sin.” The Hebrew is obscure.