Proverbs 14:1-35

  • The heart knows its own bitterness (10)

  • A way that seems right may bring death (12)

  • The naive believe every word (15)

  • Many are the friends of the rich (20)

  • A calm heart gives the body life (30)

14  The truly wise woman builds up her house,+But the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.  2  The one walking in his uprightness fears Jehovah,But the one whose ways are devious* despises Him.  3  The rod of haughtiness is in the mouth of the fool,But the lips of the wise will protect them.  4  Where there are no cattle the manger is clean,But the power of a bull yields an abundant harvest.  5  A faithful witness will not lie,But a false witness lies with every breath.+  6  The scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,But knowledge comes easily to the person with understanding.+  7  Stay away from the foolish man,For you will not find knowledge on his lips.+  8  By wisdom the shrewd man understands the way he is going,But the stupid are deceived* by their foolishness.+  9  Fools make fun of guilt,*+But among the upright, there is a willingness to reconcile.* 10  The heart knows its own bitterness,*And no outsider can share in its joy. 11  The house of the wicked will be destroyed,+But the tent of the upright will flourish. 12  There is a way that seems right to a man,+But in the end it leads to death.+ 13  Even in laughter the heart may feel pain,And rejoicing may end in grief. 14  The one wayward at heart will reap the results of his ways,+But the good man reaps the reward of his dealings.+ 15  The naive* person believes every word,But the shrewd one ponders each step.+ 16  The wise one is cautious and turns away from evil,But the stupid one is reckless* and overconfident. 17  The one who is quick to anger acts foolishly,+But the man who thinks things out* is hated. 18  The naive* will inherit foolishness,But the shrewd are crowned with knowledge.+ 19  Bad people will have to bow down before the good,And the wicked will bow at the gates of the righteous. 20  The poor man is hated even by his neighbors,+But many are the friends of the rich person.+ 21  The one who despises his neighbor sins,But whoever shows compassion to the lowly is happy.+ 22  Will not those who plot mischief go astray? But those intent on doing good will receive loyal love and faithfulness.+ 23  There is benefit in every kind of hard work,But mere talk leads to want.+ 24  The crown of the wise is their wealth;But the foolishness of the stupid is only foolishness.+ 25  A true witness saves lives,*But a deceitful one lies with every breath. 26  There is strong confidence in the fear of Jehovah,+And it will be a refuge for his children.+ 27  The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life,To turn one away from the snares of death. 28  A multitude of people are a king’s majesty,+But a ruler without subjects is ruined. 29  The one who is slow to anger has great discernment,+But the impatient one displays his foolishness.+ 30  A calm heart gives life* to the body,But jealousy is rottenness to the bones.+ 31  The one who defrauds the lowly one insults his Maker,+But whoever shows compassion to the poor glorifies Him.+ 32  The wicked one will be brought down by his own evil,But the righteous one will find refuge in his integrity.+ 33  Wisdom rests quietly in the heart of an understanding person,+But among the stupid it must make itself known. 34  Righteousness exalts a nation,+But sin is disgraceful to a people. 35  The king finds pleasure in a servant who acts with insight,+But his fury is against the one who acts shamefully.+

Footnotes

^ Or “crooked.”
^ Or possibly, “the stupid deceive others.”
^ Or “of making amends.”
^ Or “there is goodwill.”
^ Or “the bitterness of its soul.”
^ Or “inexperienced.”
^ Or “furious.”
^ Or “the man of thinking abilities.”
^ Or “inexperienced.”
^ Or “souls.”
^ Or “health.”