Proverbs 14 - Easy To Read Version

¹ The wise woman uses her wisdom to make her home what it should be. But the foolish woman destroys her home by the foolish things she does.

² The person who lives right respects the Lord. But the person who is not honest hates the Lord.

³ A foolish person’s words cause him trouble. But the words of a wise person protect him.

⁴ If there are no cows to do the work, then the barn will be empty. The people can use the strength of a cow to have a great harvest.

⁵ A truthful person does not lie—he is a good witness. But a person that can’t be trusted never tells the truth—he is a bad witness.

⁶ People who make fun of God might look for wisdom, but they will never find it. \{People who believe God\} are truly wise. Knowledge comes easy to them.

⁷ Don’t become friends with a foolish person. There is nothing he can teach you.

⁸ Smart people are wise because they think carefully about the things they do. But foolish people are fools because they think they can live by cheating.

⁹ A foolish person laughs at the idea of paying for the bad things he did. But good people try very hard to get forgiveness.

¹⁰ If a person is sad, he is the only one that can feel that sadness. In the same way, if a person is happy, he is the only one that can feel that joy.

¹¹ The house of an evil person will be destroyed. But the home of a good person will live forever.

¹² There is a way that people think is right. But that way leads only to death.

¹³ A person might be sad, even if he is laughing. And after the laughter, the sadness will still be there.

¹⁴ Evil people will be fully paid (punished) for the wrong things they do. And good people will be fully rewarded for the good things they do.

¹⁵ A fool will believe anything he hears. But a wise man thinks carefully about everything.

¹⁶ A wise man respects the Lord and stays away from evil. But a foolish man does things without thinking—he is not careful.

¹⁷ A person who becomes angry easily does foolish things. But a wise person is patient.

¹⁸ Foolish people are punished for their foolishness. But wise people are rewarded with knowledge.

¹⁹ Good people will win against evil people. Evil people will be forced to bow down to them.

²⁰ A poor person has no friends, not even his neighbor. But rich people have many friends.

²¹ You should not think bad things about your neighbors. If you want to be happy, be kind to those poor people.

²² Any person who plans to do evil is doing wrong. But the person that tries to do good will have friends that love and trust him.

²³ If you work hard, then you will have the things you need. But if you do nothing but talk, then you will be poor.

²⁴ Wise people are rewarded by wealth. But foolish people are rewarded by foolishness.

²⁵ A person who tells the truth helps other people. The person who tells lies hurts other people.

²⁶ The person who respects the Lord is safe and his children also live in safety.

²⁷ Respect for the Lord gives true life. It saves a person from death’s trap.

²⁸ A large \{wealthy\} nation brings honor to a king, but a nation suffering famine brings shame. {\cf2\super [18]}

²⁹ A patient person is very smart. A person who is easily angered shows that he is a fool.

³⁰ If a person has peace in his mind, then his body will be healthy. But jealousy causes sickness in his body.

³¹ The person that causes trouble for poor people shows that he does not respect God—God made both people. But if a person is kind to poor people, then he shows honor to God.

³² During times of trouble, evil people are defeated. But good people win a victory even during death.

³³ A wise person is always thinking wise things. But a foolish person knows nothing about wisdom.

³⁴ Goodness makes a nation great. But sin is a shame to any people.