What does Proverbs 14:25 mean?
The Bible places a high value on truth. The Ten Commandments include one that commands: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16). The New Testament also commands believers to speak truthfully. Ephesians 4:25 states, "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let of each of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another."Telling the truth in court is especially important. It can save a defendant from the death penalty, or other serious harms. However, a false witness is deceitful, and his false testimony in court may cause an innocent person to receive a death sentence.
A contrast to those who live lives of honesty are those who "breathe out" deception (Proverbs 14:5). This evokes the image of a person whose life is deeply entangled in lies and deception, a person who wallows in dishonesty the way a fish swims in the water.
Our prime example of speaking the truth is our Lord Jesus Christ. "I tell the truth," He said (John 8:45). He was also identified as the living embodiment of the Truth (John 14:6).
Proverbs 14:15–35 continues Solomon's wise sayings, once again mostly contrasting the wicked and the upright. He points out that those who do evil, by rejecting God's wisdom (Proverbs 1:7) are foolish and have no security. Those who do God's will (Proverbs 3:5) are wise and have unfailing security.
This continues a series of literal "proverbs:" short statements of general-case wisdom. The first ten verses of this chapter contrast positive and negative traits related to work ethic, self-control, and seeking wisdom. Then come several verses contrasting the fate of the righteous with that of the wicked. The rest of this passage provides statements on a broad range of subjects.
