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Proverbs 14
Common English Bible
Proverbs 14
Common English Bible
14 A wise woman builds her house,
while a foolish woman tears hers down with her own hands.
2 Those who walk with integrity fear the Lord,
but those who take a crooked path despise him.
3 Pride sprouts in the mouth of a fool,[a]
but the lips of the wise protect them.
4 When there are no oxen, the stall is clean,
but when there is a strong bull, there is abundant produce.
5 A truthful witness doesn’t lie,
but a false witness spews lies.
6 A mocker searches for wisdom and gets none,
but knowledge comes quickly to the intelligent.
7 Stay away from fools,
for you won’t learn wise speech there.
8 By their wisdom the prudent understand their way,
but the stupidity of fools deceives them.
9 Fools mock a compensation offering,
but favor is with those who do right.
10 The heart knows its own distress;
another person can’t share its joy.
11 The house of the wicked is destroyed,
but the tent flourishes for those who do right.
12 There is a path that may seem straight to someone,
but in the end it is a path to death.
13 The heart feels pain even in laughter,
and in the end, joy turns to sorrow.
14 Rebellious hearts receive satisfaction from their ways;
the good receive the due reward for their deeds.
15 The naive believe anything,
but the prudent give thought to their steps.
16 The wise are careful and avoid evil,
but fools become excited and overconfident.
17 Short-tempered people make stupid mistakes,
and schemers are hated.
18 Stupidity is the lot of the naive,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 Evil people will bow down before the good;
wicked people are at the gates of the righteous.
20 Even their neighbors hate the poor,
but many love the wealthy.
21 Those who despise their neighbors are sinners,
but happy are those who are kind to the needy.
22 Don’t those who plan evil go astray?
Those who plan good receive loyalty and faithfulness.
23 There is profit in hard work,
but mere talk leads to poverty.
24 Wealth is the crown of the wise,
and the folly of fools is folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but a deceiver proclaims lies.
26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence
and refuge for one’s children.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
turning people away from deathtraps.
28 A king’s glory is a large population,
but a dwindling people is a ruler’s ruin.
29 Patience leads to abundant understanding,
but impatience leads to stupid mistakes.
30 A peaceful mind gives life to the body,
but jealousy rots the bones.
31 Those who exploit the powerless anger their maker,
while those who are kind to the poor honor God.
32 The wicked are thrown down by their own evil,
but the righteous find refuge even in death.
33 Wisdom resides in an understanding heart,
but it’s not[b] known in fools.
34 Righteousness dignifies a nation,
but sin disgraces a people.
35 The king favors an insightful servant,
but is furious at a shameful one.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:3 Heb uncertain
- Proverbs 14:33 LXX; MT lacks not.
Proverbs 14
New International Version
Proverbs 14
New International Version
14 The wise woman builds her house,(A)
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
2 Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly,
but those who despise him are devious in their ways.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but from the strength of an ox(D) come abundant harvests.
5 An honest witness does not deceive,
but a false witness pours out lies.(E)
6 The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.(F)
7 Stay away from a fool,
for you will not find knowledge on their lips.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,(G)
but the folly of fools is deception.(H)
9 Fools mock at making amends for sin,
but goodwill is found among the upright.
10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,
and no one else can share its joy.
13 Even in laughter(M) the heart may ache,
and rejoicing may end in grief.
15 The simple believe anything,
but the prudent give thought to their steps.(P)
17 A quick-tempered person(S) does foolish things,(T)
and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.(U)
18 The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good,
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.(V)
20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.(W)
22 Do not those who plot evil go astray?(Z)
But those who plan what is good find[a] love and faithfulness.
23 All hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 The wealth of the wise is their crown,
but the folly of fools yields folly.(AA)
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but a false witness is deceitful.(AB)
26 Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,(AC)
and for their children it will be a refuge.(AD)
28 A large population is a king’s glory,
but without subjects a prince is ruined.(AG)
29 Whoever is patient has great understanding,(AH)
but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.(AI)
30 A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.(AJ)
31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,(AK)
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.(AL)
32 When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down,(AM)
but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.(AN)
33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning(AO)
and even among fools she lets herself be known.[b]
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,(AP)
but sin condemns any people.
35 A king delights in a wise servant,
but a shameful servant arouses his fury.(AQ)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:22 Or show
- Proverbs 14:33 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac discerning / but in the heart of fools she is not known
Proverbs 14
King James Version
Proverbs 14
King James Version
14 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.
6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.
7 Go from the presence of a 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 folly of fools is deceit.
9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.
10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.
11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.
12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.
23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.
25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
28 In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
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