Proverbs 14 Commentary
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KEY THOUGHT: The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands. [Proverbs 14:1 NKJV]
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Proverbs 14 NKJV
The Ways of Life and Death
14 The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
2 He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.
3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,
But the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where no oxen are, the [a]trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie,
But a false witness will utter lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But knowledge is easy to him who understands.
7 Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock at [b]sin,
But among the upright there is favor.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
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 of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And the end of mirth may be grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied [c]from above.
15 The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
16 A wise man fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident.
17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of wicked intentions is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil will bow before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,
But [d]the rich has many friends.
21 He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.
22 Do they not go astray who devise evil?
But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.
23 In all labor there is profit,
But [e]idle chatter leads only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is folly.
25 A true witness [f]delivers souls,
But a deceitful witness speaks lies.
26 In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is a king’s honor,
But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince.
29 He who is slow to wrath has great understanding,
But he who is [g]impulsive exalts folly.
30 A sound heart is life to the body,
But envy is rottenness to the bones.
31 He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.
32 The wicked is banished in his wickedness,
But the righteous has a refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But what is in the heart of fools is made known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a [h]reproach to any people.
35 The king’s favor is toward a wise servant,
But his wrath is against him who causes shame.
Footnotes
a. Proverbs 14:4 manger or feed trough
b. Proverbs 14:9 Lit. guilt
c. Proverbs 14:14 Lit. from above himself
d. Proverbs 14:20 Lit. many are the lovers of the rich
e. Proverbs 14:23 Lit. talk of the lips
f. Proverbs 14:25 saves lives
g. Proverbs 14:29 Lit. short of spirit
h. Proverbs 14:34 shame or disgrace
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 14 Commentary
Educators in public schools are compelled to operate with the thought that none is dull. They could be slow learners but they are never dull.
The scripture has no time for diplomacy! The line is clear. A fool is a fool; a wise man is a wise man.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” This is foundational! The equation is simple. There is no wisdom without God!
Foolishness isn’t a state you assume momentarily due to occasional misjudgment. You are permanently one when you reject the LORD Jesus – the Wisdom of God.
Of course, you bear fruit such as self-destruction, pride, laziness, mockery, among countless iniquities. The tree is bad already!
All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Verse 23. All hard work, what a bold statement!
Mindless diligence isn’t part of Wisdom’s package, so we are safe!
But the meat is not in choosing the right career, unless Wisdom leads you that way. Diligence won’t work wonders by itself. The key lies in an appreciation of the fact that the LORD blesses the works of one’s hand. The LORD had instituted work as the means to the blessing of prosperity. The Garden of Peace and tranquility was actually Adam’s workplace!
This chapter highlights the folly of pursuing the gift without the gift-giver. Or more appropriately, the lessons here are not independent of the Teacher.
Laziness leads to poverty, but that isn’t the biggest problem. Oppress the poor and the victims will experience intense pain and suffering. But again, that isn’t the biggest problem. Contempt for their Maker and dishonoring God’s instructions – that is the point here.
The Book of Proverbs is not exactly like a rule book. It is more like an exposition of man’s rebellious heart. It is an invitation to examine one’s heart in the light of the principles laid down.
Check your own heart for the pain of rebellion. It is no longer about rules and wise statements. Each heart must know its own bitterness and seek Wisdom.
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