Proverbs 14

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

²Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is devious in his ways despises him.

³By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back , but the lips of the wise will preserve them.

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

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

⁶A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain , but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding .

⁷Leave the presence of a fool , for there you do not meet words of knowledge .

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

⁹Fools mock at the guilt offering , but the upright enjoy acceptance .

¹⁰The heart knows its own bitterness , and no stranger shares its joy .

¹¹The house of the wicked will be destroyed , but the tent of the upright will flourish .

¹²There is a way that seems right to a man , but its end is the way to death .

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

¹⁴The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways , and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.

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

¹⁶One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil , but a fool is reckless and careless .

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

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

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

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

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

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

²³In all toil there is profit , but mere talk tends only to poverty .

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

²⁵A truthful witness saves lives , but one who breathes out lies is deceitful .

²⁶In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence , and his children will have a refuge .

²⁷The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life , that one may turn away from the snares of death .

²⁸In a multitude of people is the glory of a king , but without people a prince is ruined .

²⁹Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding , but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly .

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

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

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

³³Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding , but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools .

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

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