Proverbs 14:1-13

Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home; Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick. An honest life shows respect for GOD; a degenerate life is a slap in his face. Frivolous talk provokes a derisive smile; wise speech evokes nothing but respect. No cattle, no crops; a good harvest requires a strong ox for the plow. A true witness never lies; a false witness makes a business of it. Cynics look high and low for wisdom—and never find it; the open-minded find it right on their doorstep! Escape quickly from the company of fools; they’re a waste of your time, a waste of your words. 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.