Proverbs · Catholic Public Domain Version
Proverbs 14 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 A wise woman builds up her household. But a foolish one will pull down with her own hands what has been built up.
1 Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
2 One who walks on a virtuous journey, and who fears God, is despised by him who advances along a disreputable way.
2 He who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.
3 In the mouth of the foolish, there is a rod of arrogance. But the lips of the wise guard them.
3 The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty. But where there are many crops, there the strength of the ox is manifest.
4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness will not lie. But a deceitful witness offers a lie.
5 A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and does not find it. The doctrine of the prudent is accessible.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn’t find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.
7 Go against a foolish man, and he does not acknowledge lips of prudence.
7 Stay away from a foolish man, for you won’t find knowledge on his lips.
8 The wisdom of a discerning man is to understand his way. And the imprudence of the foolish is to be wandering astray.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.
9 The foolish will speak mockingly of sin. But grace lingers among the just.
9 Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but among the upright there is good will.
10 The heart that knows the bitterness of its own soul, in its gladness the outsider shall not meddle.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.
11 The house of the impious will be wiped away. Yet truly, the tabernacles of the just shall spring forth.
11 The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way which seems just to a man, but its conclusion leads to death.
12 There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
13 Laughter shall be mingled with sorrow, and mourning occupies the limits of joy.
13 Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness.
14 The foolish will be filled up by his own ways. And the good man shall be above him.
14 The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.
15 The innocent trust every word. The astute one considers his own steps. Nothing good will be for the deceitful son. But the wise servant shall act prosperously and his way will be set in order.
15 A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.
16 The wise fear, and so turn away from evil. The foolish leap ahead with confidence.
16 A wise man fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.
17 The impatient will work foolishness. And a resourceful man is hated.
17 He who is quick to become angry will commit folly, and a crafty man is hated.
18 The childish will possess foolishness, and the discerning will anticipate knowledge.
18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil will fall down before the good. And the impious will fall down before the gates of the just.
19 The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The pauper will be hated, even by his own neighbor. Yet truly, the friends of the wealthy are many.
20 The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbor, but the rich person has many friends.
21 Whoever despises his neighbor, sins. But whoever pities the poor shall be blessed. Whoever trusts in the Lord loves mercy.
21 He who despises his neighbor sins, but he who has pity on the poor is blessed.
22 They wander astray who work evil. But mercy and truth prepare good things.
22 Don’t they go astray who plot evil? But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.
23 In every work, there shall be abundance. But where there are many words, there is often need.
23 In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth. The senselessness of the foolish is imprudence.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools crowns them with folly.
25 A faithful witness frees souls. And the chameleon utters lies.
25 A truthful witness saves souls, but a false witness is deceitful.
26 In the fear of the Lord is the faithfulness of strength, and there shall be hope for his sons.
26 In the fear of Yahweh is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, so as to turn aside from the ruin of death.
27 The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people, there is dignity for the king. And in a paucity of people, there is disgrace for the prince.
28 In the multitude of people is the king’s glory, but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.
29 Whoever is patient is governed by much prudence. But whoever is impatient exalts his foolishness.
29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.
30 The well-being of the heart is life for the flesh. But envy is decay for the bones.
30 The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy rots the bones.
31 Whoever slanders the indigent argues against his Maker. But he who has compassion on the poor honors his Maker.
31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.
32 The impious will be expelled in his malice. But the just finds hope even in his own death.
32 The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.
33 In the heart of the prudent, wisdom finds rest. And so shall he instruct all the uneducated.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, and is even made known in the inward part of fools.
34 Justice elevates a nation. But sin makes the peoples miserable.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
35 An intelligent minister is acceptable to the king. Whoever is useless shall bear his wrath.
35 The king’s favor is toward a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath is toward one who causes shame.
Cross references (35)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 31:10–31; Proverbs 24:3–4; Proverbs 21:9; Proverbs 21:19; Ruth 4:11
- 2 2 Timothy 3:2–3; Acts 10:35; Proverbs 28:6; Job 28:28; Romans 2:4–5
- 3 Proverbs 12:6; James 3:5–6; Revelation 12:11; Romans 10:9–10; Revelation 3:10
- 4 1 Corinthians 9:9–11; Proverbs 13:23; Amos 4:6
- 5 Proverbs 19:5; Proverbs 6:19; Exodus 23:1; Proverbs 12:17; Proverbs 14:25
- 6 James 1:5; Matthew 13:11–12; Matthew 11:25–27; 1 Corinthians 3:18–19; Proverbs 8:9
- 7 Proverbs 13:20; Ephesians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Proverbs 9:6; Proverbs 19:27
- 8 Ephesians 5:17; 2 Timothy 3:13; James 3:13; Colossians 1:9–10; Psalm 119:73
- 9 Proverbs 10:23; Romans 14:17–18; Proverbs 26:18–19; Proverbs 13:15; Proverbs 30:20
- 10 Philippians 4:7; Proverbs 18:14; John 14:18; Proverbs 15:13; Revelation 2:17
- 11 Proverbs 3:33; Proverbs 12:7; Matthew 7:26–27; Proverbs 21:12; Job 21:28
- 12 Proverbs 16:25; Matthew 7:13–14; Proverbs 12:15; Galatians 6:3; Luke 13:24
- 13 Ecclesiastes 2:2; James 4:9; Luke 16:25; Ecclesiastes 7:5–6; Ecclesiastes 11:9
- 14 Galatians 6:8; Proverbs 12:14; Hebrews 3:12; Jeremiah 8:5; Jeremiah 2:19
- 15 Ephesians 5:17; Proverbs 14:8; 1 John 4:1; Proverbs 27:12; Proverbs 4:26
- 16 Proverbs 22:3; Proverbs 3:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; Proverbs 29:9; Genesis 42:18
- 17 Proverbs 14:29; James 1:19; Proverbs 29:22; Ecclesiastes 7:9; Proverbs 15:18
- 18 1 Peter 1:18; 1 Peter 5:4; 2 Timothy 4:8; Proverbs 3:35; Proverbs 11:29–30
- 19 Genesis 42:6; Malachi 4:3; Exodus 8:8; Exodus 9:27–28; Micah 7:9–10
- 20 Proverbs 19:4; Proverbs 10:15; Proverbs 19:6–7; Job 30:10; Esther 5:10–11
- 21 Proverbs 28:27; Proverbs 11:12; Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 17:5; 1 John 3:17–22
- 22 Proverbs 12:2; Matthew 5:7; John 1:17; Psalm 25:10; Proverbs 19:22
- 23 Proverbs 28:19; 2 Thessalonians 3:10–12; Proverbs 12:24; Hebrews 6:10–11; Ecclesiastes 5:3
- 24 Ecclesiastes 7:11–12; Luke 16:9; Luke 16:19–25; Psalm 112:9; Luke 12:19–20
- 25 Proverbs 14:5; Acts 26:16–20; 1 Timothy 4:1–3; 2 Peter 3:3; Acts 20:26–27
- 26 Proverbs 19:23; Jeremiah 32:39–40; Psalm 115:13–14; Proverbs 18:10; Proverbs 3:7–8
- 27 Proverbs 13:14; Revelation 21:6; Proverbs 2:10–18; Isaiah 33:6; Psalm 18:5
- 28 1 Kings 4:20–21; 2 Kings 13:7; Exodus 1:22; Exodus 1:12; 1 Kings 20:27
- 29 James 1:19; Ecclesiastes 7:9; Proverbs 14:17; Proverbs 19:11; Proverbs 15:18
- 30 Proverbs 17:22; Job 5:2; Proverbs 3:8; Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 12:4
- 31 Proverbs 22:2; Proverbs 17:5; Proverbs 22:16; Proverbs 19:17; 1 John 4:21
- 32 2 Timothy 4:18; Psalm 23:4; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Revelation 14:13; Job 19:25–27
- 33 Proverbs 12:16; Proverbs 15:28; Proverbs 12:23; Proverbs 29:11; Proverbs 13:16
- 34 Psalm 107:34; Deuteronomy 28:1–68; Deuteronomy 29:18–28; Deuteronomy 4:6–8; Ezekiel 16:1–63
- 35 Matthew 24:45–51; Proverbs 22:11; Proverbs 29:12; Matthew 25:23; Matthew 25:21
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The Scripture says, "In a wide nation is the king's honour; but in the domination of the people is the affliction of a prince." This wrong then thou dost unto Christ, to say that His people is diminished to that small number.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)