Proverbs 14

1 Lady 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 There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough;
look again—it leads straight to hell.

13 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.
God Doesn’t Miss a Thing

Proverbs 15

1 A gentle response defuses anger,
but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.

2 Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise;
fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.

3 God doesn’t miss a thing—
he’s alert to good and evil alike.

4 Kind words heal and help;
cutting words wound and maim.

5 Moral dropouts won’t listen to their elders;
welcoming correction is a mark of good sense.

6 The lives of God-loyal people flourish;
a misspent life is soon bankrupt.

7 Perceptive words spread knowledge;
fools are hollow—there’s nothing to them.

8 God can’t stand pious poses,
but he delights in genuine prayers.

9 A life frittered away disgusts God;
he loves those who run straight for the finish line.

10 It’s a school of hard knocks for those who leave God’s path,
a dead-end street for those who hate God’s rules.

11 Even hell holds no secrets from God—
do you think he can’t read human hearts?
Life Ascends to the Heights

12 Know-it-alls don’t like being told what to do;
they avoid the company of wise men and women.

13 A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face;
a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.

14 An intelligent person is always eager to take in more truth;
fools feed on fast-food fads and fancies.

15 A miserable heart means a miserable life;
a cheerful heart fills the day with song.

16 A simple life in the Fear-of-God
is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches.

17 Better a bread crust shared in love
than a slab of prime rib served in hate.

18 Hot tempers start fights;
a calm, cool spirit keeps the peace.

19 The path of lazy people is overgrown with briers;
the diligent walk down a smooth road.

20 Intelligent children make their parents proud;
lazy students embarrass their parents.

21 The empty-headed treat life as a plaything;
the perceptive grasp its meaning and make a go of it.

22 Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail;
take good counsel and watch them succeed.

23 Congenial conversation—what a pleasure!
The right word at the right time—beautiful!

24 Life ascends to the heights for the thoughtful—
it’s a clean about-face from descent into hell.

25 God smashes the pretensions of the arrogant;
he stands with those who have no standing.

26 God can’t stand evil scheming,
but he puts words of grace and beauty on display.

27 A greedy and grasping person destroys community;
those who refuse to exploit live and let live.

28 Prayerful answers come from God-loyal people;
the wicked are sewers of abuse.

29 God keeps his distance from the wicked;
he closely attends to the prayers of God-loyal people.

30 A twinkle in the eye means joy in the heart,
and good news makes you feel fit as a fiddle.

31 Listen to good advice if you want to live well,
an honored guest among wise men and women.

32 An undisciplined, self-willed life is puny;
an obedient, God-willed life is spacious.

33 Fear-of-God is a school in skilled living—
first you learn humility, then you experience glory.
Everything with a Place and a Purpose

Proverbs 16

1 Mortals make elaborate plans,
but God has the last word.

2 Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
God probes for what is good.

3 Put God in charge of your work,
then what you’ve planned will take place.

4 God made everything with a place and purpose;
even the wicked are included—but for judgment.

5 God can’t stomach arrogance or pretense;
believe me, he’ll put those upstarts in their place.

6 Guilt is banished through love and truth;
Fear-of-God deflects evil.

7 When God approves of your life,
even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.

8 Far better to be right and poor
than to be wrong and rich.

9 We plan the way we want to live,
but only God makes us able to live it.
It Pays to Take Life Seriously

10 A good leader motivates,
doesn’t mislead, doesn’t exploit.

11 God cares about honesty in the workplace;
your business is his business.

12 Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds;
sound leadership has a moral foundation.

13 Good leaders cultivate honest speech;
they love advisors who tell them the truth.

14 An intemperate leader wreaks havoc in lives;
you’re smart to stay clear of someone like that.

15 Good-tempered leaders invigorate lives;
they’re like spring rain and sunshine.

16 Get wisdom—it’s worth more than money;
choose insight over income every time.

17 The road of right living bypasses evil;
watch your step and save your life.

18 First pride, then the crash—
the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.

19 It’s better to live humbly among the poor
than to live it up among the rich and famous.

20 It pays to take life seriously;
things work out when you trust in God.

21 A wise person gets known for insight;
gracious words add to one’s reputation.

22 True intelligence is a spring of fresh water,
while fools sweat it out the hard way.

23 They make a lot of sense, these wise folks;
whenever they speak, their reputation increases.

24 Gracious speech is like clover honey—
good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body.

25 There’s a way that looks harmless enough;
look again—it leads straight to hell.

26 Appetite is an incentive to work;
hunger makes you work all the harder.

27 Mean people spread mean gossip;
their words smart and burn.

28 Troublemakers start fights;
gossips break up friendships.

29 Calloused climbers betray their very own friends;
they’d stab their own grandmothers in the back.

30 A shifty eye betrays an evil intention;
a clenched jaw signals trouble ahead.

31 Gray hair is a mark of distinction,
the award for a God-loyal life.

32 Moderation is better than muscle,
self-control better than political power.

33 Make your motions and cast your votes,
but God has the final say.
A Whack on the Head of a Fool