1A wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her hands. 2He who walks in his uprightness fears Jehovah, but he who is perverse in his ways despises Him. 3In the mouth of the fool is a rod of pride, but the lips of the wise shall keep them. 4Where no oxen are, the stall is clean, but much revenue comes by the strength of the ox. 5A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness speaks lies. 6A scorner seeks wisdom, and does not find it; but knowledge is easy to him who understands. 7Go from the presence of a foolish man when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. 8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit. 9Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favor. 10The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not share in its joy. 11The house of the wicked shall be overthrown, but the tent of the upright shall flourish. 12There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end of it is the ways of death. 13Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and the end of that mirth is heaviness. 14The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways, but a good man from himself. 15The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps. 16A wise one fears and departs from evil, but the fool rages and is confident. 17One who is short-tempered acts foolishly, and a man of wicked devices is hated. 18The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. 19The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 20The poor is hated even by his own neighbor, but the rich has many friends. 21He who despises his neighbor sins, but he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he. 22Do not those who devise evil wander? But mercy and truth shall be to those who devise good. 23In all labor there is profit, but the talk of the lips tends only to poverty. 24The crown of the wise is their wealth; the foolishness of fools is folly. 25A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies. 26In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence, and His children shall have a place of refuge. 27The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life, to avoid the snares of death. 28In the multitude of people is the king's honor, but in the lack of people is the ruin of the prince. 29He who is slow to wrath is of great understanding, but he who is impatient exalts folly. 30A sound heart is life to the flesh, but envy is rottenness to the bones. 31He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy upon the needy. 32The wicked is cast down in his wickedness, but the righteous has refuge in his death. 33Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, but that which is within fools is made known. 34Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. 35The king's favor is toward a wise servant, but his wrath is against him who causes shame.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (Pro. 14:1-35)
Every wise, &c.--literally, "The wisdoms" (compare
Pro 9:1) "of women," plural, a distributive form of speech.
buildeth . . . house--increases wealth, which the foolish, by mismanagement, lessen.
2 uprightness--is the fruit of fearing God, as falsehood and ill-nature (
Pro 2:15;
Pro 3:32) of despising Him and His law.
3 rod of pride--that is, the punishment of pride, which they evince by their words. The words of the wise procure good to them.
4 crib is clean--empty; so "cleanness of teeth" denotes want of food (compare
Amos 4:6). Men get the proper fruit of their doings (
Gal 6:7).
5 A faithful witness, &c.--one tested to be such.
utter lies--or, "breathe out lies"--that is, habitually lies (
Pro 6:19; compare
Acts 9:1). Or the sense is, that habitual truthfulness, or lying, will be evinced in witness-bearing.
6 An humble, teachable spirit succeeds in seeking (
Pro 8:9;
John 7:17;
Jas 1:5-
Jas 1:6).
7 Avoid the society of those who cannot teach you.
8 Appearances deceive the thoughtless, but the prudent discriminate.
9 Fools make a mock at sin--or, "Sin deludes fools."
righteous . . . favour--that is, of God, instead of the punishment of sin.
10 Each one best knows his own sorrows or joys.
11 (Compare
Pro 12:7). The contrast of the whole is enhanced by that of house and tabernacle, a permanent and a temporary dwelling.
12 end thereof--or, "reward," what results (compare
Pro 5:4).
ways of death--leading to it.
13 The preceding sentiment illustrated by the disappointments of a wicked or untimely joy.
14 filled . . . ways--receive retribution (
Pro 1:31).
a good man . . . himself--literally, "is away from such," will not associate with him.
15 The simple . . . word--He is credulous, not from love, but heedlessness (
Pro 13:16).
16 (Compare
Pro 3:7;
Pro 28:14).
rageth--acts proudly and conceitedly.
17 He . . . angry--literally, "short of anger" (compare
Pro 14:29, opposite idea).
man . . . hated--that is, the deliberate evildoer is more hated than the rash.
18 inherit--as a portion (compare
Pro 3:35).
are crowned--literally, "are surrounded with it," abound in it.
19 Describes the humbling of the wicked by the punishment their sins incur.
20 This sad but true picture of human nature is not given approvingly, but only as a fact.
21 For such contempt of the poor is contrasted as sinful with the virtuous compassion of the good.
22 As usual, the interrogative negative strengthens the affirmative.
mercy and truth--that is, God's (
Ps 57:3;
Ps 61:7).
23 labour--painful diligence.
talk . . . penury--idle and vain promises and plans.
24 (Compare
Pro 3:16).
foolishness . . . folly--Folly remains, or produces folly; it has no benefit.
25 Life often depends on truth-telling.
a deceitful . . . lies--He that breathes out lies is deceit, not to be trusted (
Pro 14:5).
26 The blessings of piety descend to children (
Pro 13:22;
Pro 20:7;
Exod 20:6).
27 (Compare
Pro 13:14).
fear of the Lord--or, "law of the wise," is wisdom (
Ps 111:10).
28 The teaching of a true political economy.
29 slow . . . understanding--(Compare
Pro 14:17).
hasty--(Compare
Pro 14:17).
exalteth folly--makes it conspicuous, as if delighting to honor it.
30 A sound heart--both literally and figuratively, a source of health; in the latter sense, opposed to the known effect of evil passions on health.
31 reproacheth his Maker--who is the God of such, as well as of the rich (
Pro 22:2;
Job 31:15; and specially
1Sam 2:8;
Ps 113:7).
32 driven--thrust out violently (compare
Ps 35:5-
Ps 35:6).
hath hope--trusteth (
Pro 10:2;
Pro 11:4;
Ps 2:12), implying assurance of help.
33 resteth--preserved in quietness for use, while fools blazon their folly (
Pro 12:23;
Pro 13:16).
34 Righteousness--just principles and actions.
exalteth--raises to honor.
is a reproach--brings on them the ill-will of others (compare
Pro 13:6).
35 wise--discreet or prudent.
causeth shame-- (
Pro 10:5;
Pro 12:4) acts basely.