Proverbs 14
1 Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
2 He who goes on his way in righteousness has before him the fear of the Lord; but he whose ways are twisted gives him no honour.
He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.
3 In the mouth of the foolish man is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.
The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.
4 Where there are no oxen, their food-place is clean; but much increase comes through the strength of the ox.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.
5 A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.
An honest witness does not deceive, but a dishonest witness pours forth lies.
6 The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man.
A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
7 Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.
Stay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech.
8 The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.
The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them.
9 In the tents of those hating authority there is error, but in the house of the upright man there is grace.
Fools mock the making of amends, but goodwill is found among the upright.
10 No one has knowledge of a man's grief but himself; and a strange person has no part in his joy.
The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares in its joy.
11 The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of the upright man will do well.
The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
13 Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.
Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in sorrow.
14 He whose heart is turned away will have the reward of his ways in full measure; but a good man will have the reward of his doings.
The backslider in heart receives the fill of his own ways, but a good man is rewarded for his ways.
15 The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps.
16 The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.
A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless.
17 He who is quickly angry will do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet.
A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a devious man is hated.
18 Foolish behaviour is the heritage of the simple, but men of good sense are crowned with knowledge.
The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The knees of the evil are bent before the good; and sinners go down in the dust at the doors of the upright.
The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor man is hated even by his neighbour, but the man of wealth has numbers of friends.
The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, but many are those who love the rich.
21 He who has no respect for his neighbour is a sinner, but he who has pity for the poor is happy.
He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor.
22 Will not the designers of evil come into error? But mercy and good faith are for the designers of good.
Do not those who contrive evil go astray? But those who plan goodness find loving devotion and faithfulness.
23 In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.
There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.
The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the effort of fools is folly.
25 A true witness is the saviour of lives; but he who says false things is a cause of deceit.
A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is deceitful.
26 For him in whose heart is the fear of the Lord there is strong hope: and his children will have a safe place.
He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, by which one may be turned from the nets of death.
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
28 A king's glory is in the number of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction.
A large population is a king’s splendor, but a lack of subjects is a prince’s ruin.
29 He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is over-quick gives support to what is foolish.
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
30 A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.
A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
31 He who is hard on the poor puts shame on his Maker; but he who has mercy on those who are in need gives him honour.
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
32 The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the upright man has hope in his righteousness.
The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.
33 Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.
Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning; even among fools she is known.
34 By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
35 The king has pleasure in a servant who does wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.
A king delights in a wise servant, but his anger falls on the shameful.
