Proverbs 14

International Standard Version

² Someone whose conduct is upright fears the Lord,
    but whoever is devious in his ways despises him.

³ What a fool says brings^[a] a rod to his back,
    but the words of the wise protect them.

⁴ Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean,
    but profits come through the strength of the ox.

⁵ A trustworthy witness does not deceive,
    but a false witness spews lies.

⁶ A mocker seeks wisdom and finds^[b] none,
    but learning comes easily to someone who understands.

⁷ Stay away from a foolish man,
    for you will not find competent advice.

⁸ The wisdom of the prudent helps him know how to live,
    but a fool’s stupidity deceives him.

⁹ Fools make fun of guilt,
    but among the upright there are good intentions.

¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness—
    an outsider cannot 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 pathway that seems right to a man,
    but in the end it’s a road to death.

¹³ Even in laughter there may be heartache,
    and at the end of joy there may be grief.

¹⁴ The faithless one will pay for his behavior,^[c]
    but a good man will be rewarded^[d] for his.
¹⁵ An unthinking person believes everything,
    but the prudent one thinks before acting.^[e]
16 The wise person fears and turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and overconfident.
¹⁷ A quick tempered person does foolish things,
    and a devious man is hated.

¹⁸ The naïve inherit folly,
    but the careful are crowned with knowledge.

¹⁹ Evil men will bow down in the presence of good men
    and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰ The poor person is shunned by his neighbor,
    but many are the friends of the wealthy.
²¹ Whoever despises his neighbor sins,
    but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.

²² Won’t those who plot evil go astray?
    But gracious love and truth are for those who plan what is good.
²³ In hard work there is always profit,
    but too much chattering^[f] leads to poverty.

²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the stupidity of fools is just that—stupidity!

²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
    but the person who lies is deceitful.

²⁶ Rock-solid security is found^[g] in the fear of the Lord,
    and within it one’s children find refuge.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
    enabling anyone to escape the snares of death.

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

²⁹ Being slow to get angry compares to great understanding
    as being quick-tempered compares to stupidity.
³⁰ A tranquil mind brings life to one’s body,
    but jealousy causes one’s bones to rot.

³¹ Whoever oppresses the poor defies their Creator,
    but whoever is kind to the needy honors them.
³² The wicked person is thrown down by his own wrongdoing,
    but the righteous person has a place of safety in death.^[h]

³³ Wisdom is at rest in the mind of the discerning—
    even fools know this.^[i]

³⁴ Righteousness makes a nation great,
    but sin diminishes^[j] any people.

³⁵ The king approves the wise servant,
    but he is angry at anyone who acts shamefully.