Proverbs 14
1 Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Wise women [PRS] hold their families together [by the wise things that they do], but foolish women ruin their families by the foolish things that they do.
2 He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.
By [continually] behaving/acting righteously, [people show that they] greatly revere Yahweh; those who (walk on crooked paths/always deceive others) [show that they] despise him.
3 The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.
Foolish people will be punished [MTY] for what they say, but wise [people] will be protected by what they say [MTY].
4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
If [a man has] no oxen [to plow his field], he does not [need to put] grain [in their feedbox], but if [he has] oxen, they will enable [him to produce] an abundant crop.
5 A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.
Witnesses who are reliable [always] say what (is true/really happened), but witnesses who are not reliable constantly tell lies [about what happened].
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom, and does not find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.
Those who make fun [of being wise] will never become wise, but those who understand [what is right] learn things easily.
7 Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
Stay away from foolish people, because they will not be able to teach you anything [useful].
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.
Those who have good sense are wise, so they know what they should do [and what they should not do]; foolish people do not know what is right to do, but because they think that they do, they are deceiving themselves.
9 Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but among the upright there is good will.
Foolish people make fun of their committing sins; but God is pleased with those who do what is right.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.
If you are very sad or if you are joyful, only you know what you are experiencing; no one else [can] know what you are feeling.
11 The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
Houses built by wicked [people] will be destroyed, but houses built by good/righteous [people] will last for a long time.
12 There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
There are some kinds of behavior [MET] that [some] people [falsely] think are right, but (walking on those roads/continually doing those things) causes [those people] to die.
13 Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness.
[Sometimes] when people laugh, they are [really] sad, and when they stop laughing, they are still sad.
14 The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.
Those who stubbornly continue to do what is wrong will get what they deserve, and those who continually do what is good will [also] get what they deserve.
15 A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.
Foolish people believe everything [that people tell them]; those who have good sense think carefully about what will be the result of their actions.
16 A wise man fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.
Wise people are careful and avoid [doing things that will give them] trouble; foolish people are careless and act (too quickly/without thinking).
17 He who is quick to become angry will commit folly, and a crafty man is hated.
Those who quickly become angry [IDM] do foolish things; [people] hate those who plan to do wicked things (OR, those who have good sense remain calm/patient).
18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Foolish people get what they deserve for doing foolish things; those with good sense are rewarded [MET] by being able to learn a lot.
19 The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
[Some day] evil [people] will bow down in front of righteous [people to show that they respect them]; they [will humbly stand] at the gates of [the houses of] righteous [people and request their help].
20 The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbor, but the rich person has many friends.
[No one likes] poor [people]; even their friends/neighbors do not like them; rich [people] have many friends, but [only while the rich people still have money].
21 He who despises his neighbor sins, but he who has pity on the poor is blessed.
It is sinful to despise your [poor] neighbors; [God] is pleased with those who do kind things for the poor.
22 Do not they go astray who plot evil? But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.
Those who plan to do things that are evil/wrong are walking on the wrong road; people faithfully love, respect and are loyal to those who plan to do what is good.
23 In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.
If you work hard, you will (accomplish something good/get a good income), but if all you do is to talk [and not work], you will remain poor.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools crowns them with folly.
One of the rewards [MET] of being wise is to become rich; the reward of acting foolishly is to become more foolish.
25 A truthful witness saves souls, but a false witness is deceitful.
By saying [in court] what is true, you [can] save the life [of the one who is being falsely accused]; if you tell lies, you are abandoning someone who needs your help [to defend him].
26 In the fear of the LORD is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.
Those who revere Yahweh are confident [that he will protect them], and their family will [also] be protected.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death.
Having an awesome respect for Yahweh is [like] [MET] [having] a fountain that gives life; it will help you to escape when something dangerous is threatening to kill you [MET].
28 In the multitude of people is the king’s glory, but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.
If a king rules over many people, many people will [be able to] honor him; if he has only a few people in his kingdom, he will have very little [HYP] power.
29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.
Those who do not quickly become angry are very wise; by quickly becoming angry, people show that they are foolish.
30 The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy rots the bones.
Having a mind that is peaceful results in having a healthy body; having a mind that is [often] in turmoil is [like] [MET] cancer in [a person’s] bones.
31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.
Those who oppress poor people are insulting God, the one who made those poor people, but acting kindly toward them is respecting God.
32 The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.
Wicked [people] ruin themselves by the evil things that they do, but righteous/good [people] are kept safe/protected even when they die (OR, because of their continually doing what is right).
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, and is even made known in the inward part of fools.
Those who have good sense always think what is wise; foolish people do not know anything about being wise.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
[When] the people of a nation [continually act] righteously, it causes that nation to be great; [continually doing what is] evil causes a nation to be disgraced.
35 The king’s favor is toward a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath is toward one who causes shame.
Kings are pleased with officials who do their work competently/skillfully, but they punish [MTY] those who [do their work in a manner that] causes the kings to be disgraced.
