Proverbs 14 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

14 Every wise woman builds her house,(A)
but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.(B)

2 Whoever lives with integrity fears the Lord,(C)
but the one who is devious in his ways despises him.(D)

3 The proud speech of a fool brings a rod of discipline,[a]
but the lips of the wise protect them.(E)

4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty,[b]
but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of an ox.

5 An honest witness does not deceive,
but a dishonest witness utters lies.(F)

6 A mocker seeks wisdom and doesn’t find it,
but knowledge comes easily to the perceptive.

7 Stay away from a foolish person;
you will gain no knowledge from his speech.(G)

8 The sensible person’s wisdom is to consider his way,
but the stupidity of fools deceives them.

9 Fools mock at making reparation,[c]
but there is goodwill among the upright.

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

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

12 There is a way that seems right to a person,(I)
but its end is the way to death.(J)

13 Even in laughter a heart may be sad,
and joy may end in grief.(K)

14 The disloyal one will get what his conduct deserves,
and a good one, what his deeds deserve.(L)

15 The inexperienced one believes anything,(M)
but the sensible one watches[d] his steps.

16 A wise person is cautious and turns from evil,(N)
but a fool is easily angered and is careless.[e]

17 A quick-tempered person acts foolishly,
and one who schemes is hated.(O)

18 The inexperienced inherit foolishness,
but the sensible are crowned with knowledge.

19 The evil bow before those who are good,
and the wicked, at the gates of the righteous.

20 A poor person is hated even by his neighbor,(P)
but there are many who love the rich.(Q)

21 The one who despises his neighbor sins,(R)
but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.(S)

22 Don’t those who plan evil go astray?(T)
But those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.(U)

23 There is profit in all hard work,
but endless talk[f] leads only to poverty.(V)

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

25 A truthful witness rescues lives,
but one who utters lies is deceitful.(W)

26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence
and his children have a refuge.(X)

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
turning people away from the snares of death.(Y)

28 A large population is a king’s splendor,
but a shortage of people is a ruler’s devastation.

29 A patient person shows great understanding,(Z)
but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness.

30 A tranquil heart is life to the body,(AA)
but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.(AB)

31 The one who oppresses the poor person insults his Maker,(AC)
but one who is kind to the needy honors him.(AD)

32 The wicked one is thrown down by his own sin,(AE)
but the righteous one has a refuge in his death.(AF)

33 Wisdom resides in the heart of the discerning;(AG)
she is known[g] even among fools.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a disgrace to any people.(AH)

35 A king favors a prudent servant,(AI)
but his anger falls on a disgraceful one.

Footnotes

  1. 14:3 Some emend to In the mouth of a fool is a rod for his back
  2. 14:4 Or clean
  3. 14:9 Or at guilt offerings
  4. 14:15 Lit the prudent understands
  5. 14:16 Or and falls
  6. 14:23 Lit but word of lips
  7. 14:33 LXX reads unknown

Cross references

  1. 14:1 : Ru 4:11; Pr 9:1; 24:3; 31:10–27
  2. 14:1 : Pr 11:11; 29:4
  3. 14:2 : Pr 19:1; 28:6
  4. 14:2 : Pr 2:15
  5. 14:3 : Pr 12:6
  6. 14:5 : Ex 20:16; 23:1; Pr 6:19; 12:17; 14:25
  7. 14:7 : Pr 20:15
  8. 14:11 : Pr 10:25; 11:28; 12:7; Mt 7:24–27
  9. 14:12 : Pr 12:15; 16:25
  10. 14:12 : Pr 5:4; Rm 6:21
  11. 14:13 : Ec 2:1–2; Lk 6:25
  12. 14:14 : Pr 1:31; 12:14; 18:20; 28:19
  13. 14:15 : Eph 4:14; Jms 1:5–8
  14. 14:16 : Jb 28:28; Ps 34:14; Pr 3:7; 22:3
  15. 14:17 : Pr 12:2; 24:8
  16. 14:20 : Pr 19:7
  17. 14:20 : Pr 19:4
  18. 14:21 : Pr 11:12
  19. 14:21 : Ps 41:1
  20. 14:22 : Pr 6:14–15; 12:26
  21. 14:22 : Pr 12:20
  22. 14:23 : Pr 21:5
  23. 14:25 : Pr 6:19; 12:17; 14:5
  24. 14:26 : Pr 29:25
  25. 14:27 : Pr 13:14; 16:22; 19:23
  26. 14:29 : Pr 16:32; 19:11; Ec 7:9; Jms 1:19
  27. 14:30 : Pr 3:8; 4:22; 16:24
  28. 14:30 : Pr 12:4; 27:4; Jms 3:16
  29. 14:31 : Pr 17:5; 21:13; Mt 25:40; 1Jn 3:17
  30. 14:31 : Pr 3:9; 14:21; 19:17; 22:2
  31. 14:32 : Ps 17:15; 73:24; Pr 24:16; 2Co 1:9; 5:8; 2Tm 4:18
  32. 14:32 : Pr 10:25
  33. 14:33 : Pr 15:14; 18:15; Ec 7:9
  34. 14:34 : Pr 11:11
  35. 14:35 : Pr 22:29; Mt 24:45–47; 25:21

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14 Every wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down. 2 Whoso is walking in his uprightness is fearing Jehovah, And the perverted [in] his ways is despising Him. 3 In the mouth of a fool [is] a rod of pride, And the lips of the wise preserve them. 4 Without oxe...
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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 g...
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Proverbs 14 - World English Bible (WEB)

14 Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.2 He who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.3 The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.4 Where no oxen are, the crib i...
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14 A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one picks it to splinters with her own hands.2 Whoever travels through life with integrity respects the Eternal, but whoever turns from it hates Him.3 A fool’s words betray his pride and invite punishment, but the humble speech of the wise will spare t...
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Proverbs 14 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

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Proverbs 14 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

14 Wisdom[a] builds her house,but folly with her own hands tears it down.2 He who walks in uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is devious in his ways despises him.3 The talk of a fool is a rod for his back,[b] but the lips of the wise will preserve them.4 Where there are no oxen, there is no[c] g...
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14 Wisdom[a] builds her house,but folly with her own hands tears it down.2 He who walks in uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is devious in his ways despises him.3 The talk of a fool is a rod for his back,[b] but the lips of the wise will preserve them.4 Where there are no oxen, there is no[c] g...
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Proverbs 14 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

14 The wise woman[a] builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.2 Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord, but one who is devious in conduct despises him.3 The talk of fools is a rod for their backs,[b] but the lips of the wise preserve them.4 Where there are no oxen, there is...
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Proverbs 14 - New Living Translation (NLT)

14 A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands. 2 Those who follow the right path fear the Lord; those who take the wrong path despise him. 3 A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him, but the words of the wise keep them safe. 4 Without oxen a stable sta...
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Proverbs 14 - New Life Version (NLV)

14 The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish woman tears it down with her own hands. 2 He who walks in honor fears the Lord, but he who is sinful in his ways hates Him. 3 A foolish man’s talk brings a stick to his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe. 4 There is no grain where t...
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