Proverbs 14:25

Proverbs 14:25, in plain English

When someone tells the truth in a situation where it matters—like in a dispute or legal matter—they can literally save someone's life, but a liar destroys that possibility.

Why it's here

In ancient courts and disputes, testimony determined outcomes. A truthful witness could vindicate the innocent; a false one could condemn them to death or ruin. This was life-and-death serious.

Who's speaking

Solomon, highlighting the moral weight of truthfulness.

Where it sits in the story

Truth-telling runs throughout Scripture as central to justice and God's character. You can't have a just society without people willing to tell the truth when it costs them something.

The scholarly reading

A witness who speaks truth saves lives by preventing injustice; a liar corrupts justice and causes harm. The verse elevates testimony as a life-or-death matter in the legal sphere.

Language and setting

The Israelite legal system depended entirely upon witness testimony—there was no forensic science, no police investigation. An עֵד (ed, witness) speaking אֱמֶת (emet, truth) could exonerate the innocent or convict the genuinely guilty. Conversely, שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, falsehood) could condemn the innocent to death (as in the trumped-up charges against Naboth in 1 Kings 21). The חַיִּים (chayim, lives) saved are literal—capital cases hinge on testimony.

Voice

The wisdom tradition, informed by Israel's legal practice and the high-stakes nature of the judicial process. This reflects lived experience with courtroom dynamics.

Significance

This anticipates the New Testament's emphasis on truthfulness as fundamental to community (Ephesians 4:25) and stands behind Jesus's condemnation of false witness as a cardinal sin (Matthew 15:19). It also foreshadows the martyr's testimony (Greek: μαρτυρία, martyria) as the ultimate witness.

23There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

24The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the effort of fools is folly.

25A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is deceitful.

26He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge.

27The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

Read all of Proverbs 14 — In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence. The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.