Chapter Overview
Summary
Proverbs 14 continues the Solomonic-antithetic-proverbs — 35 verses with an unusually-high concentration of verses on the poor and the rich. Verse 12 — 'there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death' — is one of the Bible's most-quoted cautionary-proverbs (repeated verbatim at Prov 16:25).
Notable Variants
14:12 'way that seems right … end is death' — repeated at Prov 16:25; 14:21 'whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor'; 14:31 'whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker.'
Structural Notes
MT Prov 14 = LXX Prov 14. 35 verses.
The wisest of women builds her household, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
'The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down' tracks MT.
The one who walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but the one whose ways are crooked despises Him.
'Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is devious in his ways despises him' tracks MT.
In the mouth of a fool is a rod of arrogance, but the lips of the wise protect them.
'By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them' tracks MT.
Where there are no oxen the feeding trough is clean, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of an ox.
'Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox' tracks MT. OX-MANGER-CLEAN — wisdom of productive-mess vs. sterile-cleanliness.
A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out deception.
'A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies' tracks MT.
A scoffer searches for wisdom but finds nothing; knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
'A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding' tracks MT.
Walk away from a foolish person, for you will not find knowledgeable speech on his lips.
'Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge' tracks MT.
The wisdom of the shrewd is to understand his own path; the foolishness of fools is self-deception.
'The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving' tracks MT.
Fools mock at guilt, but among the upright there is goodwill.
'Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance' tracks MT.
The heart knows its own bitterness, and no outsider can share in its joy.
'The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy' tracks MT. HEART-KNOWS-OWN-BITTERNESS — interior-experience-as-incommunicable. 1 Cor 2:11 ('no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God') echoes interior-only-self-knowledge.
The house of the wicked will be demolished, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
'The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish' tracks MT.
There is a path that seems straight to a person, but its end is the ways of death.
'There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death' tracks MT. WAY-THAT-SEEMS-RIGHT — the self-deception diagnostic. // Prov 16:25. Matthew 7:13–14 ('broad is the way that leads to destruction') extends Christologically.
Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief.
'Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief' tracks MT.
The faithless in heart will have his fill of his own ways, but a good person is satisfied from what is above him.
'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' tracks MT.
The naive person believes everything, but the shrewd person watches his step.
'The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps' tracks MT.
A wise person is cautious and turns from evil, but a fool is reckless and overconfident.
'One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless' tracks MT.
A short-tempered person acts foolishly, and a schemer is hated.
'A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated' tracks MT.
The naive inherit foolishness, but the shrewd are crowned with knowledge.
'The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge' tracks MT.
The evil will bow before the good, and the wicked will stand at the gates of the righteous.
'The evil bow down before the good, the wicked at the gates of the righteous' tracks MT.
Even by his neighbor the poor person is disliked, but the rich person has many friends.
'The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends' tracks MT. SOCIAL-REALISM-PROVERB — describes rather than prescribes.
Whoever despises his neighbor sins, but whoever shows grace to the poor — how fortunate he is.
'Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor' tracks MT. GENEROUS-TO-POOR BEATITUDE. Matthew 25:35–40 (when did we see you hungry) extends.
Do not those who plot evil go astray? But faithful love and truth belong to those who plan good.
'Do they not go astray who devise evil? Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness' tracks MT.
In all hard work there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
'In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty' tracks MT. TALK-TENDS-TO-POVERTY — anti-idle-talk axiom.
The crown of the wise is their wealth; the garland of fools is foolishness.
'The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly' tracks MT.
A truthful witness saves lives, but a deceitful witness breathes out lies.
'A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful' tracks MT.
In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
'In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge' tracks MT.
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning one away from the snares of death.
'The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death' tracks MT. FEAR-OF-LORD = FOUNTAIN-OF-LIFE.
A large population is a king's glory, but without people a ruler is ruined.
'In a multitude of people is the glory of a king, but without people a prince is ruined' tracks MT.
The patient person has great understanding, but the short-tempered person exalts foolishness.
'Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly' tracks MT. SLOW-TO-ANGER wisdom. James 1:19 ('slow to speak, slow to anger') extends.
A tranquil heart is the life of the body, but envy is rot in the bones.
'A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot' tracks MT. TRANQUIL-HEART body-health. Psychosomatic wisdom-anthropology.
Whoever oppresses the poor insults his Maker, but whoever shows grace to the needy honors Him.
'Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him' tracks MT. OPPRESS-POOR = INSULT-MAKER. Proverbs 17:5 repeats the theology. Matthew 25:40 ('as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me') Christologically-extends.
The wicked is overthrown by his own calamity, but the righteous has refuge even in death.
'The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing, but the righteous finds refuge in his death' tracks MT. RIGHTEOUS-REFUGE-IN-DEATH — unusual Hebrew-Bible text hinting post-mortem hope.
Wisdom rests quietly in the heart of the discerning, but among fools it makes itself known.
'Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools' tracks MT.
Righteousness elevates a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
'Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people' tracks MT. RIGHTEOUSNESS-EXALTS-NATION — oft-quoted national-ethics proverb.
A king's favor rests on a servant who acts wisely, but his fury falls on one who acts disgracefully.
'A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully' tracks MT.