Proverbs 14

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¹Every wise woman builds her house, but the stupid woman tears it down with her own hands.

²Those who live right respect the Lord, but those who live dishonestly despise him.

³What stupid people say punishes their pride, but what wise people say will protect them.

⁴Without oxen, the manger is empty, but a good harvest comes through the ox's strength.

⁵A trustworthy witness doesn't lie, but a false witness is deceptive.

⁶It's pointless for a scoffer to look for wisdom, but knowledge comes easily to someone who understands.

⁷Stay away from stupid people—you won't learn anything from them.

⁸Sensible people use their wisdom to decide where they're going, but the foolishness of stupid people is treacherous.

⁹Stupid people laugh at sin, but good people want forgiveness.

¹⁰The individual's mind alone knows its sadnesses, and no one else can share its happiness.

¹¹The house of wicked people will be destroyed, but the tent of good people will prosper.

¹²There's a way that seems to be right, but in the end it's the way of death.

¹³Even when you're laughing you can be feeling sad—joy can end in grief.

¹⁴Disloyal people are repaid for what they do, and good people are rewarded.

¹⁵Stupid people believe whatever they're told, but sensible people think about what they're doing.

¹⁶Wise people are careful and avoid evil, but stupid people are confidently reckless.

¹⁷Quick-tempered people act foolishly, while people who make evil plans are hated.

¹⁸The inheritance of stupid people is stupidity, but sensible people are rewarded with knowledge.

¹⁹Evil people bow down before good people, and the wicked bow down at the doors of those who do right.

²⁰The poor are hated even by their neighbors, while the rich have many friends.

²¹People who look down on their neighbors are sinners, but those who are kind to the poor are blessed.

²²Aren't people who plan to do evil wrong? But those who plan to do good have trustworthy love and faithfulness.

²³There's profit in hard work, but chatting just leads to poverty.

²⁴The wise are rewarded with wealth, but stupid people are rewarded with stupidity.

²⁵A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is treacherous.

²⁶People who honor the Lord are completely safe; he will protect their children.

²⁷Respecting the Lord is like a fountain of life, so you can avoid the snares of death.

²⁸The glory of a king is the number of his subjects, for a ruler is nothing without them.

²⁹If you're slow to get angry, you're very wise; but if you have a short fuse you glorify stupidity.

³⁰A peaceful mind makes your body healthy, but jealousy makes your bones rot.

³¹Anyone who oppresses the poor insults their Maker, but anyone who is kind to the needy honors him.

³²Wicked people are brought down by their own evil actions, but those who live right are confident even in death.

³³Wisdom is at home in a mind that understands, but it's not found among stupid people.

³⁴Doing right makes a nation successful, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

³⁵A servant who acts wisely is appreciated by the king, but he gets angry with a servant who acts disgracefully.