Proverbs 14:1-21

¹The wise among women buildeth her house; but the foolish pulleth it down with her own hands.

²In his uprightness walketh he that feareth the Lord; but perverse in his ways is he that despiseth him.

³In the mouth of the foolish is a stick for his pride; but the lips of the wise will preserve them.

⁴Where no oxen are, is the crib clean; but the abundance of harvests is only through the strength of the ox.

⁵A faithful witness will not lie; but a false witness constantly uttereth lies.

⁶A scorner seeketh wisdom, and there is none; but knowledge is easy to the man of understanding.

⁷Go far away from a foolish man, else thou wilt never know the lips of knowledge.

⁸The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way; but the folly of fools is deceit.

⁹The fool maketh a mockery of guilt; but among the upright there is good will.

¹⁰The heart knoweth its own bitterness; and with its joy can no stranger intermeddle.

¹¹The house of the wicked will be destroyed: but the tent of the upright will flourish.

¹²There is many a way which seemeth even before a man; but its end are ways unto death.

¹³Even in laughter the heart feeleth pain; and at its end joy is sorrow.

¹⁴The backslider in heart will have enough of his own ways; and from him departeth the good men.

¹⁵The simple believeth every word; but the prudent man understandeth his steps.

¹⁶A wise man is fearful, and departeth from evil; but the fool exciteth himself, and is confident.

¹⁷He that is soon angry committeth folly; and a man of wicked devices is hated.

¹⁸The simple inherit folly; but the prudent crown themselves with knowledge.

¹⁹The bad sink down before the good; and the wicked are at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰Even to his own neighbor is the poor man hateful; but the friends of the rich are many.

²¹He that despiseth his neighbor is a sinner; but he that is gracious to the poor—happiness attend him!