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Proverbs 14

¹ The wisest of women²Whoever³By the mouth of a fool comes⁴Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
⁵⁶A scoffer seeks wisdom⁷Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
⁸The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
⁹¹⁰The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
¹¹ The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
¹² There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
¹³Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.
¹⁴The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
¹⁵ The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
¹⁶ One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless.
¹⁷A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil devices is hated.
¹⁸The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹ The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
²⁰ The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
  but the rich has many friends.
²¹Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
²²Do they not go astray who devise evil?
Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness.
²³In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
²⁴The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools brings folly.
²⁵A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
²⁶In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
²⁷The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
²⁸In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
²⁹Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
³⁰A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh,
but envy makes the bones rot.
³¹Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
  but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
³² The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
³³Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.
³⁴Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
³⁵A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

Proverbs 15

¹ A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
²The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
³ The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
⁴ A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
⁵ A fool⁶In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the hearts of fools.
⁸ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
⁹The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
¹⁰There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
  whoever hates reproof will die.
¹¹Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD;
how much more the hearts of the children of man!
¹² A scoffer does not like to be reproved;
he will not go to the wise.
¹³ A glad heart makes a cheerful face,
but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.
¹⁴ The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
¹⁵All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the LORD
than great treasure and trouble with it.
¹⁷ Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
¹⁸ A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
¹⁹The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,
but the path of the upright is a level highway.
²⁰ A wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
²¹ Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.
²² Without counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
²³To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and a word in season, how good it is!
²⁴The path of life leads upward for the prudent,
that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
²⁵The LORD tears down the house of the proud
but maintains the widow’s boundaries.
²⁶ The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD,
but gracious words are pure.
²⁷Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household,
but he who hates bribes will live.
²⁸The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
²⁹The LORD is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
³⁰ The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and good news refreshes the bones.
³¹ The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
³²Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,
but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
³³ The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 16

¹The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
² All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the LORD weighs the spirit.
³ Commit your work to the LORD,
and your plans will be established.
⁴ The LORD has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.
⁵Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD;
  be assured, he will not go unpunished.
⁶By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.
⁷When a man’s ways please the LORD,
  he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
⁸ Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.
⁹ The heart of man plans his way,
but the LORD establishes his steps.
¹⁰ An oracle is on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
¹¹ A just balance and scales are the LORD’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
¹²It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
for the throne is established by righteousness.
¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves him who speaks what is right.
¹⁴ A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
and a wise man will appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of a king’s face there is life,
and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
¹⁷The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;
whoever guards his way preserves his life.
¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
¹⁹ It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to divide the spoil with the proud.
²⁰Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,
and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
²¹The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
²²Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
²³ The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
²⁴ Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
²⁵There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
²⁶A worker’s appetite works for him;
his mouth urges him on.
²⁷ A worthless man plots evil,
and his speech is like a scorching fire.
²⁸ A dishonest man spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends.
²⁹A man of violence entices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things;
he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained in a righteous life.
³² Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the LORD.