14 1 A wise woman [a]buildeth her house: but the foolish destroyeth it with her own hands.
2 (A)He that walketh in his [b]righteousness, feareth the Lord: but he that is lewd in his ways, despiseth him.
3 In the mouth of the foolish is the [c]rod of pride: but the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Where none [d]oxen are, there the crib is empty: but much increase cometh by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false record will speak lies.
6 [e]A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy to him that will understand.
7 Depart from the foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the foolishness of the fools is deceit.
9 The fool maketh a mock of [f]sin: but among the righteous there is favor.
10 The heart knoweth the [g]bitterness of his soul, and the stranger shall not meddle with his joy.
11 The house of the wicked shall be destroyed: but the tabernacle of the righteous shall flourish.
12 (B)There is a way that seemeth right to a man: but the issues thereof are the ways of death.
13 Even in laughing the heart is sorrowful, [h]and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
14 The heart that declineth, [i]shall be satiated with his own ways: but a good man shall depart from him.
15 The foolish will believe everything: but the prudent will consider his steps.
16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil, but a fool rageth, and is careless.
17 He that is hasty to anger, commiteth folly, and a [j]busybody is hated.
18 The foolish do inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil shall bow before the good, and the wicked [k]at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbor: but the friends of the rich are many.
21 The sinner despiseth his neighbor: but he that hath mercy on the poor, is blessed.
22 Do not they err that imagine evil? but to them that think on good things, shall be mercy and truth.
23 In all labor there is abundance: but the talk of the lips bringeth only want.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches, and the folly of fools is foolishness.
25 A faithful witness delivereth souls: but a deceiver speaketh lies.
26 In the fear of the Lord is an assured strength, and his children shall have hope.
27 The fear of the Lord is as a wellspring of life, to avoid the snares of death.
28 In the multitude of the [l]people is the honor of a King, and for the want of people cometh the destruction of the Prince.
29 He that is slow to wrath, is of great wisdom: but he that is of an hasty mind, exalteth folly.
30 A sound heart is the life of the [m]flesh: but envy is the rotting of the bones.
31 (C)He that oppresseth the poor, reproveth him that made him: but he honoreth him, that hath mercy on the poor.
32 The wicked shall be cast away for his malice: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding, and is known [n]in the midst of fools.
34 Justice exalteth a nation, [o]but sin is a shame to the people.
35 The pleasure of a King is in a wise servant: but his wrath shall be toward him that is lewd.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:1 That is, taketh pain to profit her family, and to do that which concerneth her duty in her house.
- Proverbs 14:2 That is, in uprightness of heart, and without hypocrisy.
- Proverbs 14:3 His proud tongue shall cause him to be punished.
- Proverbs 14:4 By the ox is meant labor, and by the crib the barn: meaning, without labor there is no profit.
- Proverbs 14:6 For the maintenance of his own ambition, and not for God’s glory, as Simon Magus.
- Proverbs 14:9 Doth not know the grievousness thereof, nor God’s judgments against the same.
- Proverbs 14:10 As a man’s conscience is witness of his own grief, so another cannot feel the joy and comfort which a man feeleth in himself.
- Proverbs 14:13 He showeth the allurement unto sin, seemeth sweet, but the end thereof is destruction.
- Proverbs 14:14 He that forsaketh God shall be punished, and made weary of his sins, wherein he delighted.
- Proverbs 14:17 Hebrew, the man of imaginations.
- Proverbs 14:19 If this come not daily to pass, we must consider that it is because of our sins, which let God’s working.
- Proverbs 14:28 That is, the strength of a king standeth in many people.
- Proverbs 14:30 Or, body.
- Proverbs 14:33 Forasmuch as they are convicted thereby and put to silence.
- Proverbs 14:34 Or, and the mercy of the people is a sacrifice for sin.