Proverbs 14:8-25

Proverbs 14:8-25 The Message (MSG)

The wisdom of the wise keeps life on track; the foolishness of fools lands them in the ditch. The stupid ridicule right and wrong, but a moral life is a favored life. The person who shuns the bitter moments of friends will be an outsider at their celebrations. Lives of careless wrongdoing are run-down shacks; holy living builds soaring cathedrals. There’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. A mean person gets paid back in meanness, a gracious person in grace. The gullible believe anything they’re told; the prudent sift and weigh every word. The wise watch their steps and avoid evil; fools are headstrong and reckless. The hotheaded do things they’ll later regret; the coldhearted get the cold shoulder. Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion; wise realists plant their feet on the ground. Eventually, evil will pay tribute to good; the wicked will respect God-loyal people. An unlucky loser is shunned by all, but everyone loves a winner. It’s criminal to ignore a neighbor in need, but compassion for the poor—what a blessing! Isn’t it obvious that conspirators lose out, while the thoughtful win love and trust? Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table. The wise accumulate wisdom; fools get stupider by the day. Souls are saved by truthful witness and betrayed by the spread of lies.

Proverbs 14:8-25 King James Version (KJV)

The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: But the folly of fools is deceit. Fools make a mock at sin: But among the righteous there is favour. The heart knoweth his own bitterness; And a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: But the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; And the end of that mirth is heaviness. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: And a good man shall be satisfied from himself. The simple believeth every word: But the prudent man looketh well to his going. A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: But the fool rageth, and is confident. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: And a man of wicked devices is hated. The simple inherit folly: But the prudent are crowned with knowledge. The evil bow before the good; And the wicked at the gates of the righteous. The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: But the rich hath many friends. He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: But he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. Do they not err that devise evil? But mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good. In all labour there is profit: But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury. The crown of the wise is their riches: But the foolishness of fools is folly. A true witness delivereth souls: But a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

Proverbs 14:8-25 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)

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 good will. 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 man, 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 man will be satisfied with his. The naive believes everything, But the sensible man considers his steps. A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man 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. He who despises his neighbor sins, But happy is he who is gracious to the poor. 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 folly of fools is foolishness. A truthful witness saves lives, But he who utters lies is treacherous.

Proverbs 14:8-25 New Century Version (NCV)

A wise person will understand what to do, but a foolish person is dishonest. Fools don’t care if they sin, but honest people work at being right. No one else can know your sadness, and strangers cannot share your joy. The wicked person’s house will be destroyed, but a good person’s tent will still be standing. Some people think they are doing right, but in the end it leads to death. Someone who is laughing may be sad inside, and joy may end in sadness. Evil people will be paid back for their evil ways, and good people will be rewarded for their good ones. Fools will believe anything, but the wise think about what they do. Wise people are careful and stay out of trouble, but fools are careless and quick to act. Someone with a quick temper does foolish things, but someone with understanding remains calm. Fools are rewarded with nothing but more foolishness, but the wise are rewarded with knowledge. Evil people will bow down to those who are good; the wicked will bow down at the door of those who do right. The poor are rejected, even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. It is a sin to hate your neighbor, but being kind to the needy brings happiness. Those who make evil plans will be ruined, but those who plan to do good will be loved and trusted. Those who work hard make a profit, but those who only talk will be poor. Wise people are rewarded with wealth, but fools only get more foolishness. A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is a traitor.

Proverbs 14:8-25 American Standard Version (ASV)

The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way; But the folly of fools is deceit. A trespass-offering mocketh fools; But among the upright there is good will. The heart knoweth its own bitterness; And a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy. The house of the wicked shall be overthrown; But the tent of the upright shall flourish. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; And the end of mirth is heaviness. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways; And a good man shall be satisfied from himself. The simple believeth every word; But the prudent man looketh well to his going. A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; But the fool beareth himself insolently, and is confident. He that is soon angry will deal foolishly; And a man of wicked devices is hated. The simple inherit folly; But the prudent are crowned with knowledge. The evil bow down before the good; And the wicked, at the gates of the righteous. The poor is hated even of his own neighbor; But the rich hath many friends. He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth; But he that hath pity on the poor, happy is he. Do they not err that devise evil? But mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good. In all labor there is profit; But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury. The crown of the wise is their riches; But the folly of fools is only folly. A true witness delivereth souls; But he that uttereth lies causeth deceit.

Proverbs 14:8-25 New International Version (NIV)

The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright. Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy. The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief. The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs. The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps. The wise fear the LORD and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure. A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated. The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy. Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness. All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly. A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.

Proverbs 14:8-25 New King James Version (NKJV)

The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, But the folly of fools is deceit. Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is favor. The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy. The house of the wicked will be overthrown, But the tent of the upright will flourish. There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, And the end of mirth may be grief. The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above. The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps. A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of wicked intentions is hated. The simple inherit folly, But the prudent are crowned with knowledge. The evil will bow before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous. The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, But the rich has many friends. He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he. Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good. In all labor there is profit, But idle chatter leads only to poverty. The crown of the wise is their riches, But the foolishness of fools is folly. A true witness delivers souls, But a deceitful witness speaks lies.

Proverbs 14:8-25 Amplified Bible (AMP)

The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way, But the foolishness of [shortsighted] fools is deceit. Fools mock sin [but sin mocks the fools], But among the upright there is good will and the favor and blessing of God. [Prov 10:23] The heart knows its own bitterness, And no stranger shares its joy. The house of the wicked will be overthrown, But the tent of the upright will thrive. There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, 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 with his own [rotten] ways, But a good man will be satisfied with his ways [the godly thought and action which his heart pursues and in which he delights]. The naive or inexperienced person [is easily misled and] believes every word he hears, But the prudent man [is discreet and astute and] considers well where he is going. A wise man suspects danger and cautiously avoids evil, But the fool is arrogant and careless. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly and without self-control, And a man of wicked schemes is hated. The naive [are unsophisticated and easy to exploit and] inherit foolishness, But the sensible [are thoughtful and far-sighted and] are crowned with knowledge. The evil will bow down before the good, And the wicked [will bow down] at the gates of the righteous. The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich are many. He who despises his neighbor sins [against God and his fellow man], But happy [blessed and favored by God] is he who is gracious and merciful to the poor. Do they not go astray who devise evil and wander from the way of righteousness? 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 wealth [of wisdom], But the foolishness of [closed-minded] fools is [nothing but] folly. A truthful witness saves lives, But he who speaks lies is treacherous.

Proverbs 14:8-25 New Living Translation (NLT)

The prudent understand where they are going, but fools deceive themselves. Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation. Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy. The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the godly will flourish. There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains. Backsliders get what they deserve; good people receive their reward. Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps. The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence. Short-tempered people do foolish things, and schemers are hated. Simpletons are clothed with foolishness, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. Evil people will bow before good people; the wicked will bow at the gates of the godly. The poor are despised even by their neighbors, while the rich have many “friends.” It is a sin to belittle one’s neighbor; blessed are those who help the poor. If you plan to do evil, you will be lost; if you plan to do good, you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness. Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty! Wealth is a crown for the wise; the effort of fools yields only foolishness. A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is a traitor.

Proverbs 14:8-25 The Passion Translation (TPT)

For the wisdom of the wise will keep life on the right track, while the fool only deceives himself and refuses to face reality. Fools mock the need for repentance, while the favor of God rests upon all his lovers. Don’t expect anyone else to fully understand both the bitterness and the joys of all you experience in your life. The household of the wicked is soon torn apart, while the family of the righteous flourishes. You can rationalize it all you want and justify the path of error you have chosen, but you’ll find out in the end that you took the road to destruction. Superficial laughter can hide a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the pain resurfaces. Those who turn from the truth get what they deserve, but a good person receives a sweet reward. A gullible person will believe anything, but a sensible person will confirm the facts. A wise person is careful in all things and turns quickly from evil, while the impetuous fool moves ahead with overconfidence. An impulsive person has a short fuse and can ruin everything, but the wise show self-control. The naïve demonstrate a lack of wisdom, but the lovers of wisdom are crowned with revelation-knowledge. Evil ones will pay tribute to good people and eventually come to be servants of the godly. The poor are disliked even by their neighbors, but everyone wants to get close to the wealthy. It’s a sin to despise one who is less fortunate than you, but when you are kind to the poor, you will prosper and be blessed. Haven’t you noticed how evil schemers always wander astray? But kindness and truth come to those who make plans to be pure in all their ways. If you work hard at what you do, great abundance will come to you. But merely talking about getting rich while living to only pursue your pleasures brings you face-to-face with poverty. The true net worth of the wise is the wealth that wisdom imparts. But the way of life for the fool is his foolishness. Speak the truth and you’ll save souls, but in the spreading of lies treachery thrives.

Proverbs 14:8-25 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving. Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance. The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy. The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief. The 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. The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless. A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated. The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. The evil bow down before the good, the wicked at the gates of the righteous. The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends. Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. Do they not go astray who devise evil? Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness. In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly. A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.