Proverbs 14:1-19

New King James Version

² He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
^(A)But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.

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

⁴ Where no oxen are, the ^[a]trough is clean;
But much increase comes by 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 not find it,
But ^(E)knowledge is easy to him who understands.
⁷ Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of ^(F)knowledge.
⁸ The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.

^9 (G)Fools mock at ^[b]sin,
But among the upright there is favor.

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 way that seems right to a man,
But ^(J)its end is the way of ^(K)death.

¹³ Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And ^(L)the end of mirth may be grief.

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

¹⁵ The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
^16 (O)A wise man fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident.
¹⁷ A quick-tempered man acts 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.