Proverbs 14

A Way That Leads to Hell ¹Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home; Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick.

²    An honest life shows respect for GOD;
   a degenerate life is a slap in his face.

³    Frivolous talk provokes a derisive smile;
   wise speech evokes nothing but respect.

⁴    No cattle, no crops;
   a good harvest requires a strong ox for the plow.

⁵    A true witness never lies;
   a false witness makes a business of it.

⁶    Cynics look high and low for wisdom—and never find it;
   the open-minded find it right on their doorstep!

⁷    Escape quickly from the company of fools;
   they're a waste of your time, a waste of your words.

⁸    The wisdom of the wise keeps life on track;
   the foolishness of fools lands them in the ditch.

⁹    The stupid ridicule right and wrong,
   but a moral life is a favored life.

¹⁰    The person who shuns the bitter moments of friends
   will be an outsider at their celebrations.

¹¹    Lives of careless wrongdoing are tumbledown shacks;
   holy living builds soaring cathedrals.

^12-13    There's a way of life that looks harmless enough;
   look again—it leads straight to hell.
Sure, those people appear to be having a good time,
   but all that laughter will end in heartbreak.

Sift and Weigh Every Word ¹⁴ A mean person gets paid back in meanness,
   a gracious person in grace.

¹⁵    The gullible believe anything they're told;
   the prudent sift and weigh every word.

¹⁶    The wise watch their steps and avoid evil;
   fools are headstrong and reckless.

¹⁷    The hotheaded do things they'll later regret;
   the coldhearted get the cold shoulder.

¹⁸    Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion;
   wise realists plant their feet on the ground.

¹⁹    Eventually, evil will pay tribute to good;
   the wicked will respect God-loyal people.

²⁰    An unlucky loser is shunned by all,
   but everyone loves a winner.

²¹    It's criminal to ignore a neighbor in need,
   but compassion for the poor—what a blessing!

²²    Isn't it obvious that conspirators lose out,
   while the thoughtful win love and trust?

²³    Hard work always pays off;
   mere talk puts no bread on the table.

²⁴    The wise accumulate wisdom;
   fools get stupider by the day.

²⁵    Souls are saved by truthful witness
   and betrayed by the spread of lies.

²⁶    The Fear-of-GOD builds up confidence,
   and makes a world safe for your children.

²⁷    The Fear-of-GOD is a spring of living water
   so you won't go off drinking from poisoned wells.

²⁸    The mark of a good leader is loyal followers;
   leadership is nothing without a following.

²⁹    Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding;
   a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity.

³⁰    A sound mind makes for a robust body,
   but runaway emotions corrode the bones.

³¹    You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless;
   when you're kind to the poor, you honor God.

³²    The evil of bad people leaves them out in the cold;
   the integrity of good people creates a safe place for living.

³³    Lady Wisdom is at home in an understanding heart—
   fools never even get to say hello.

³⁴    God-devotion makes a country strong;
   God-avoidance leaves people weak.

³⁵    Diligent work gets a warm commendation;
   shiftless work earns an angry rebuke.