14:16

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

16a
A wise man fears and turns from evil,

16b but a fool is careless and reckless.

14:16a

A wise man fears: In Hebrew, this clause is literally “a wise ⌊person⌋ ⌊is⌋ fearing.” In Proverbs, the verb “to fear” (see the note on 10:27a) usually occurs with the object “the LORD.” Here there is no object. There are two ways to interpret this clause:

(1) A wise man is cautious. He is aware that a person’s actions may have bad consequences, so he is afraid of acting rashly. For example:

One who is wise is cautious (Revised English Bible)

(2) A wise man fears the LORD. For example:

A wise man fears the Lord (New International Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars. Two reasons are:

(a) This interpretation forms a good parallel with 14:16b.

(b) If the author had intended this clause to mean “fears the LORD,” he probably would have made the object explicit. That is what he did elsewhere in Proverbs.

and turns from evil: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as evil can refer either to moral evil or to trouble/misfortune. (See the note on 12:20a.) In this context, either meaning is appropriate, since a person who avoids moral evil will also avoid the trouble that accompanies it. Some ways to express the second meaning are:

Wise people are careful and stay out of trouble (New Century Version)
-or-
Sensible people are careful to stay out of trouble (Good News Translation)

14:16b

but a fool is careless: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as careless is literally “passing beyond bounds.” It usually means to become very angry or excited or to lose control. Since anger does not fit the context very well, most versions focus on being reckless or out of control.

fool:

and reckless: In this context, the word reckless means to be self-assured or overconfident. A person who is overconfident tends to act too quickly or to be reckless. But the main meaning in this context is probably self-confidence.

Two ways to express the meaning of this line are:

but a fool is careless and overconfident (God’s Word)
-or-
fools plunge ahead with great confidence (New Living Translation (1996))

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