“The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
One who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
But one who is devious in his ways despises Him.”

“In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back,
But the lips of the wise will protect them.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.”

“A trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a false witness declares lies.
A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
But knowledge is easy for one who has understanding.
Leave the presence of a fool,
Or you will not discern words of knowledge.”

“The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,
But the foolishness of fools is deceit.
Fools mock at sin,
But among the upright there is goodwill.”

“The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.”

“There is a way which seems right to a person,
But its end is the way of death.
Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the end of joy may be grief.”

“The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways,
But a good person will be satisfied with his.”

“The naive believes everything,
But the sensible person considers his steps.
A wise person is cautious and turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.”

“A quick-tempered person acts foolishly,
And a person of evil devices is hated.
The naive inherit foolishness,
But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.”

“The evil will bow down before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
The poor is hated even by his neighbor,
But those who love the rich are many.”

“One who despises his neighbor sins,
But one who is gracious to the poor is blessed.
Will they not go astray who devise evil?
But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.”

“In all labor there is profit,
But mere talk leads only to poverty.
The crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is foolishness.”

“A truthful witness saves lives,
But one who declares lies is deceitful.
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have refuge.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
By which one may avoid the snares of death.”

“In a multitude of people is a king’s glory,
But in the scarcity of people is a prince’s ruin.”

“One who is slow to anger has great understanding,
But one who is quick-tempered exalts foolishness.
A tranquil heart is life to the body,
But jealousy is rottenness to the bones.”

“One who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker,
But one who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing,
But the righteous has a refuge when he dies.”

“Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,
But in the hearts of fools it is made known.
Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.
The king’s favor is toward a servant who acts wisely,
But his anger is toward one who acts shamefully.”

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Context and Meaning

Proverbs 14 presents a series of moral contrasts that form a blueprint for building a stable, godly life.
Each proverb offers a snapshot of wisdom applied — in the home, the heart, work, speech, and relationships.

At the heart of the chapter lies a recurring theme:

“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.”

Wisdom begins with reverence for God, and from that fear flows humility, patience, generosity, and peace.

Key Themes:

1. Wisdom Builds, Folly Destroys: Wisdom strengthens homes and communities (v. 1).
2. Integrity and Fear of the Lord: Uprightness flows from reverence for God (v. 2).
3. Speech and Prudence: Words protect or punish (v. 3–5).
4. Discernment: The wise weigh their steps; fools act rashly (v. 8–9, 15–16).
5. Pride and Anger: Both lead to folly and destruction (v. 17, 29).
6. Compassion for the Poor: Kindness honors God; oppression mocks Him (v. 21, 31).
7. Work and Words: Labor produces fruit; talk alone leads to lack (v. 23).
8. National Righteousness: Sin corrupts nations, but righteousness exalts them (v. 34).

Reflection and Impact

Proverbs 14 reminds us that wisdom is both relational and foundational.
It builds up what folly tears down. It teaches us to guard our hearts, our homes, and our communities through truth and compassion.

• Wisdom builds what pride destroys – “The wise woman builds her house” (v. 1) parallels Matthew 7:24: the wise man builds on the rock.
• Fear of the Lord gives security – “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence” (v. 26) reflects Psalm 112:7: he will not fear bad news; his heart is steadfast.
• Discernment guards against deception – “There is a way that seems right…” (v. 12) echoes Proverbs 3:5–6: lean not on your own understanding.
• Patience brings peace – “Slow to anger has great understanding” (v. 29) aligns with James 1:19: be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.
• Generosity honors God – “He who is gracious to the poor honors Him” (v. 31) matches Matthew 25:40: whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for Me.
• Righteousness exalts nations – “But sin is a disgrace to any people” (v. 34) foreshadows Psalm 33:12: blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.

Application

• Build Wisely: Every word and choice either strengthens or weakens your “house.”
• Guard Your Steps: Don’t trust instincts—test them by God’s Word.
• Be Slow to Anger: Patience preserves peace and honor.
• Honor God in Compassion: Treat the poor and weak as reflections of your Maker.
• Work Faithfully: Effort and consistency bring fruit where talk alone fails.
• Revere the Lord: Let the fear of God be your fountain of life.

Closing Thought

Wisdom is a builder; folly is a demolisher.
The wise live with reverence, discernment, and patience—constructing lives, families, and communities that stand firm when storms come.
The foolish tear down what they were meant to protect.

“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
By which one may avoid the snares of death.”