Proverbs 14
1 Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Every wise woman has built her house, And the foolish breaks it down with her hands.
2 He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.
Whoever is walking in his uprightness is fearing YHWH, And the perverted is despising Him [in] his ways.
3 The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.
A rod of pride [is] in the mouth of a fool, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.
Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
5 An honest witness does not deceive, but a dishonest witness pours forth lies.
A faithful witness does not lie, And a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
A scorner has sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge [is] easy to the intelligent.
7 Stay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech.
Go from before a foolish man, Or you have not known the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them.
The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
9 Fools mock the making of amends, but goodwill is found among the upright.
Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright—a pleasing thing.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares in its joy.
The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not interfere with its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourishes.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
There is a way—right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in sorrow.
Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
14 The backslider in heart receives the fill of his own ways, but a good man is rewarded for his ways.
The backslider in heart is filled from his ways, And a good man—from his fruits.
15 The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps.
The simple gives credence to everything, And the prudent attends to his step.
16 A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless.
The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a devious man is hated.
Whoever is short of temper does folly, And a man of wicked schemes is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
19 The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, but many are those who love the rich.
The poor is hated even of his neighbor, And those loving the rich [are] many.
21 He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor.
Whoever is despising his neighbor sins, Whoever is favoring the humble, O his blessedness.
22 Do not those who contrive evil go astray? But those who plan goodness find loving devotion and faithfulness.
Do they who are devising evil not err? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
23 There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
In all labor there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the effort of fools is folly.
The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is deceitful.
A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breathes out lies.
26 He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge.
Strong confidence [is] in the fear of YHWH, And there is a refuge to His sons.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
The fear of YHWH [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
28 A large population is a king’s splendor, but a lack of subjects is a prince’s ruin.
The honor of a king [is] in the multitude of a people, And the ruin of a prince in lack of people.
29 A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
Whoever is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoever is short in temper is exalting folly.
30 A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
31 Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker, And whoever is honoring Him Is favoring the needy.
32 The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.
The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, And the righteous [is] trustful in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning; even among fools she is known.
Wisdom rests in the heart of the intelligent. And it is known in the midst of fools.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
Righteousness exalts a nation, And the righteousness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
35 A king delights in a wise servant, but his anger falls on the shameful.
The favor of a king [is] to a wise servant, And one causing shame is an object of his wrath!
