Proverbs 14

New King James Version

² He who walks in his uprightness fears theLord,
^(A)Buthe who isperverse in his ways despises Him.

³ In the mouth of a foolisa rod of pride,
^(B)But the lips of the wise will preserve them.

⁴ Where no oxenare,the^[a]troughisclean;
But much increasecomesby the strength of an ox.

⁵ A^(C)faithful witness does not lie,
But a false witness will utter^(D)lies.

⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom and does notfind it,
But^(E)knowledgeiseasy to him who understands.
⁷ Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceivein himthe lips of^(F)knowledge.
⁸ The wisdom of the prudentisto understand his way,
But the folly of foolsisdeceit.

^9 (G)Fools mock at^[b]sin,
But among the uprightthere isfavor.

¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.

^11 (H)The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.

^12 (I)There is a waythat seemsright to a man,
But^(J)its endisthe way of^(K)death.

¹³ Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And^(L)the end of mirthmay begrief.

¹⁴ The backslider in heart will be^(M)filled with his own ways,
But a good manwill be satisfied^[c]from^(N)above.

¹⁵ The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
^16 (O)A wisemanfears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident.
¹⁷ A quick-temperedmanacts foolishly,
And a man of wicked intentions is hated.
¹⁸ The simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹ The evil will bow before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

^20 (P)The poormanis hated even by his own neighbor,
But^[d]the richhasmany^(Q)friends.
²¹ He who despises his neighbor sins;
^(R)But he who has mercy on the poor, happyishe.

²² Do they not go astray who devise evil?
But mercy and truthbelongto those who devise good.

²³ In all labor there is profit,
But^[e]idle chatterleadsonly to poverty.

²⁴ The crown of the wise is their riches,
Butthe foolishness of foolsisfolly.

²⁵ A true witness^[f]delivers^(S)souls,
But a deceitfulwitnessspeaks lies.

²⁶ In the fear of theLordthere isstrong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
^27 (T)The fear of theLordisa fountain of life,
To turnoneaway from the snares of death.

²⁸ In a multitude of peopleisa king’s honor,
But in the lack of peopleisthe downfall of a prince.

^29 (U)He who isslow to wrath has great understanding,
Buthe who is^[g]impulsive exalts folly.

³⁰ A sound heartislife to the body,
But^(V)envyis^(W)rottenness to the bones.

^31 (X)He who oppresses the poor reproaches^(Y)his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.

³² The wicked is banished in his wickedness,
But^(Z)the righteous has a refuge in his death.

³³ Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But^(AA)what isin the heart of fools is made known.

³⁴ Righteousness exalts a^(AB)nation,
But sinisa^[h]reproach toanypeople.

^35 (AC)The king’s favoristoward a wise servant,
But his wrathis againsthim who causes shame.