Proverbs 14

¹ The wisest of women builds her house,
but with her own hands the foolish one tears it down.

² Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD,
but whoever is devious in his ways despises him.

³ The mouth of the fool is a rod for his back,
but the lips of the wise will protect them.

⁴ Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

⁵ A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.

⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

⁷ Stay away from a foolish man,
for you will not find words of knowledge there.

⁸ The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.

⁹ Fools mock at sin,
but among the upright there is goodwill.

¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares 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 its end is the way of death.

¹³ Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.

¹⁴ The one of crooked heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be satisfied from his.

¹⁵ The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

¹⁶ A wise man is cautious and turns from evil,
but a fool is arrogant and careless.

¹⁷ A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil schemes is hated.

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

¹⁹ The evil bow down before the good,
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰ The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
but the rich has many friends.

²¹ Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.

²² Do not those who devise evil go astray?
Those who devise good find steadfast love and faithfulness.

²³ In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk leads only to want.

²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools is folly.

²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
but a deceitful witness breathes out lies.

²⁶ In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.

²⁷ The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
turning one away from the snares of death.

²⁸ The glory of a king is a large population;
without people a ruler has nothing.

²⁹ Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but the one who is quick-tempered exalts folly.

³⁰ A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh,
but envy makes the bones rot.

³¹ Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but whoever is generous to the needy honors him.

³² The wicked is overthrown through his evil,
but the righteous finds refuge in his death.

³³ Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning;
even in the midst of fools it makes itself known.

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

³⁵ A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.