We continue pithy two-line proverbs contrasting areas of wisdom and folly.
Proverbs 14:1, Wisdom vs. folly
The wise woman builds her house,
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
In Proverbs 9:1 we see Wisdom building her house. Here we have the house-building/house-breaking actions of the human women who follow Wisdom and Folly. The wise woman's actions are constructive and rewarding; the actions of the foolish are self-defeating.
Proverbs 14:2, Fear YHWH
He whose walk is upright fears the LORD,
but he whose ways are devious despises him.
A reminder that wisdom is based on YHWH; a corollary is that to be devious (dishonest, scheming) is to imply that there is no accountability to God.
Proverbs 14:3, Protected
A fool's talk brings a rod to his back,
but the lips of the wise protect them.
A fool gets punished (by the authorities?) but the wise, with honest lips, are protected.
Proverbs 14:4, Empty manger
Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.
A farmer's proverb: you can have a clean barn if you want but that means you are not using it! There are modern versions of this, including "No pain, no gain!" If you can't stand losing, don't play the game. I have encouraged math students to do their work and make errors; perfectionism can be defeating.
Proverbs 14:5, Honest witnesses
A truthful witness does not deceive,
but a false witness pours out lies.
As Alter says, this is a tautology, defining truthful/false witnesses.
Proverbs 14:6-9, Fools, mockers, folly
The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
Stay away from a foolish man,
for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,
but the folly of fools is deception.
Fools mock at making amends for sin,
but goodwill is found among the upright.
There are dangers to the companionship of fools. The wise person is prudent, thoughtful, honest, open and willing to admit faults. Those who walk with fools are influenced by deception.
Proverbs 14:10, Lonely hearts
Each heart knows its own bitterness,
and no one else can share its joy.
Like verse 4, this proverbs stands out as different. Here we are told that no one quite knows the others sorrows and joys.
Proverbs 14:11, Flourishing tent
The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
Righteousness leads to success; wickedness to destruction, a major theme of Proverbs
Proverbs 14:12, Avoid the shortcut
There is a way that seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death.
This proverb has a warning about appearances, about underestimating the seriousness or the dangers of certain "easy" actions. Kidner says that this proverb warns against foolish shortcuts. A similar proverb occurs in Proverbs 16:25.
Proverbs 14:13, Aching heart
Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and joy may end in grief.
This proverb, although different from the previous, is also a statement about appearances. In the first lie we see someone outwardly laughing even if they are aching inside; in the second line we see someone experiencing joy, unaware that it is temporary.
Proverbs 14:14
The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways,
and the good man rewarded for his.
The Axiom of Retribution: one is paid in kind for their actions. Kidner calls this verse "Table for one" and suggests that the point of the verse is that each person must live with themselves; the faithless live a life in which they receive the rewards of dishonesty; the good man lives with honest and peace. See also Proverbs 9:12.
Proverbs 14:15, Easy to fool a simple man
A simple man believes anything,
but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.
It is easy to believe anything if one knows little. (This explains the prevalence and popularity of conspiracy theories and motivates education.) I have known many people (even university faculty) who believed outrageous things simply because they knew too little about the topic to get a whiff of falsehood. In modern US culture, too often people try to give a "simple" answer for very complex problems. This proverb should encourage us to resist that that tendency.
Proverbs 14:16-18, Temper and prudence
A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil,
but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.
A quick-tempered man does foolish things,
and a crafty man is hated.
The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Wisdom and prudence, proper fear and respect for YHWH, are antidotes to anger, foolishness, impatient scheming. The Hebrew word arum, translated "prudent" in the last verse could also be translated "shrewd". In the Garden of Eden, the word is used to describe the crafty serpent, Genesis 3:1. Here the craftiness is a good, cautious thoughtfulness about complex problems.
Proverbs 14:19, Works rewarded
Evil men will bow down in the presence of the good,
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
Ultimately, says this psalm, the righteous are recognized and receive honor.
Proverbs 14:20, Friends of the rich
The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.
This is an observation, not advice. As Kidner points out, the next verse adds a counterpoint.
Proverbs 14:21, Care for the needy
He who despises his neighbor sins,
but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.
Even if one is wealthy, there are still requirements to care for one's neighbor and for the needy. See also verse 31 and Proverbs 17:5.
Proverbs 14:22, Led astray
Do not those who plot evil go astray?
But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.
The lack of a moral compass leads one off the straight path.
Proverbs 14:23, All talk
All hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
A typical verse contrasting industry and laziness. Here the lazy one has a good talk but no work to put behind it. Each of us will see that it is easy to find examples of the person who is "all talk."
Proverbs 14:24, Crowns and garlands.
The wealth of the wise is their crown,
but the folly of fools yields folly.
The wise receive wealth; the fools only get folly and more folly. Alter suggests that a slight change in Hebrew consonants would change "folly of fools" into "garland of fools" in the second line, fitting the garment metaphors for wisdom and foolishness. Given standard Hebrew parallelism, one looks in the second line for a complement to "crown" of the first line and "garland" fits that need. Kidner seems to agree with Alter.
Proverbs 14:25, The importance of honesty
A truthful witness saves lives,
but a false witness is deceitful.
Our culture relies on honest witness, and honesty in general.
Proverbs 14:26-27, Fear of YHWH
He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress,
and for his children it will be a refuge.
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
turning a man from the snares of death.
"Fear" here (Hebrew yirah) involves recognizing the power and authority of YHWH, the Creator. As Job and Proverbs teach, YHWH not only created the universe, but created justice and so "fear" of YHWH leads one to also commit to justice. In the long run this fear is beneficial to both the individual and the society around them.
Proverbs 14:28, Kings without subjects
A large population is a king's glory,
but without subjects a prince is ruined.
This proverb does not seem to be a teaching on how to become wise but is more of an observation. As Kidner (in his Scottish English) writes, "solitary splendour is self-extinguishing." One can claim leadership but foolish leadership eventually leads to a loss of followers.
Proverbs 14:29, Patience and anger
A patient man has great understanding,
but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
Impatience and a quick temper are disruptive; of course, patience (and wise speech) are encouraged. See verse 17.
Proverbs 14:30, Healthy heart
A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.
Wisdom -- and thus peace -- is healthy. (See Proverbs 17:22.) I have found that bitterness is corrosive. I don't have a good solution to bitterness other than agreeing with this proverb that we should attempt to reject envy (and bitterness.)
Proverbs 14:31, Care for the poor
He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
We have a responsibility, coming from God, to care for the poor and to be kind to the needy. See also Proverbs 17:5 and Job 31:13-15.
Proverbs 14:32, When storms come
When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down,
but even in death the righteous have a refuge.
The Septuagint and Syriac (says Alter) change the last line to "but even in innocence the righteous have a refuge." Kidner sticks to the Masoretic (translated above into English by the NIV) and argues that even in death the righteous are honored.
Proverbs 14:33, Wisdom at home in your heart
Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning
and even among fools she lets herself be known.
Wisdom calls out to both the discerning and the fools. One group listens and lets her rest within.
Proverbs 14:34, Righteousness is good for all
Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a disgrace to any people.
A nation that emphasizes righteousness will grow and prosper, because its individual citizens grow and prosper. (See Proverbs 16:12.)
Proverbs 14:35, A wise king wants wise servants
A king delights in a wise servant,
but a shameful servant incurs his wrath.
A king (at least a wise one) wants wise and honest counselors and servant (see Proverbs 11:14. and Proverbs 22:29.)
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