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Proverbs 14 - The Message bible

Proverbs 14

¹Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home; Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

¹¹Lives of careless wrongdoing are run-down shacks; holy living builds soaring cathedrals.

¹²There’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.

¹⁴A mean person gets paid back in meanness, a gracious person in grace.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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