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Proverbs 14 (MSG)

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¹ Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home; Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick. ² An honest life shows respect for GOD; a degenerate life is a slap in his face. ³ Frivolous talk provokes a derisive smile; wise speech evokes nothing but respect. ⁴ No cattle, no crops; a good harvest requires a strong ox for the plow. ⁵ A true witness never lies; a false witness makes a business of it. ⁶ Cynics look high and low for wisdom--and never find it; the open-minded find it right on their doorstep! ⁷ Escape quickly from the company of fools; they're a waste of your time, a waste of your words. ⁸ The wisdom of the wise keeps life on track; the foolishness of fools lands them in the ditch. ⁹ The stupid ridicule right and wrong, but a moral life is a favored life. ¹⁰ The person who shuns the bitter moments of friends will be an outsider at their celebrations. ¹¹ Lives of careless wrongdoing are tumbledown shacks; holy living builds soaring cathedrals. ¹² There's a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again--it leads straight to hell. ¹³ Sure, those people appear to be having a good time, but all that laughter will end in heartbreak. ¹⁴ A mean person gets paid back in meanness, a gracious person in grace. ¹⁵ The gullible believe anything they're told; the prudent sift and weigh every word. ¹⁶ The wise watch their steps and avoid evil; fools are headstrong and reckless. ¹⁷ The hotheaded do things they'll later regret; the coldhearted get the cold shoulder. ¹⁸ Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion; wise realists plant their feet on the ground. ¹⁹ Eventually, evil will pay tribute to good; the wicked will respect God-loyal people. ²⁰ An unlucky loser is shunned by all, but everyone loves a winner. ²¹ It's criminal to ignore a neighbor in need, but compassion for the poor--what a blessing! ²² Isn't it obvious that conspirators lose out, while the thoughtful win love and trust? ²³ Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table. ²⁴ The wise accumulate wisdom; fools get stupider by the day. ²⁵ Souls are saved by truthful witness and betrayed by the spread of lies. ²⁶ The Fear-of-GOD builds up confidence, and makes a world safe for your children. ²⁷ The Fear-of-GOD is a spring of living water so you won't go off drinking from poisoned wells. ²⁸ The mark of a good leader is loyal followers; leadership is nothing without a following. ²⁹ Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity. ³⁰ A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones. ³¹ You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless; when you're kind to the poor, you honor God. ³² The evil of bad people leaves them out in the cold; the integrity of good people creates a safe place for living. ³³ Lady Wisdom is at home in an understanding heart-- fools never even get to say hello. ³⁴ God-devotion makes a country strong; God-avoidance leaves people weak. ³⁵ Diligent work gets a warm commendation; shiftless work earns an angry rebuke.