Proverbs 14
1 Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
The wise among women buildeth her house; but the foolish pulleth 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.
In his uprightness walketh he that feareth the Lord; but perverse in his ways is he that despiseth 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.
In the mouth of the foolish is a stick [for his] pride; but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, their food-place is clean; but much increase comes through the strength of the ox.
Where no oxen are, is the crib clean; but the abundance of harvests is [only] through the strength of the ox.
5 A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.
A faithful witness will not lie; but a false witness constantly uttereth lies.
6 The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man.
A scorner seeketh wisdom, and there is none; but knowledge is easy to the man of understanding.
7 Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.
Go far away from a foolish man, else thou wilt [never] know the lips of knowledge.
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 understand his way; but the folly of fools is deceit.
9 In the tents of those hating authority there is error, but in the house of the upright man there is grace.
The fool maketh a mockery of guilt; but among the upright there is good will.
10 No one has knowledge of a man's grief but himself; and a strange person has no part in his joy.
The heart knoweth its own bitterness; and with its joy can no stranger intermeddle.
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 many a way which seemeth even before a man; but its end are ways unto death.
13 Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.
Even in laughter the heart feeleth pain; and at its end joy is 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 will have enough of his own ways; and from him [departeth] the good men.
15 The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
The simple believeth every word; but the prudent man understandeth 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 is fearful, and departeth from evil; but the fool exciteth himself, and is confident.
17 He who is quickly angry will do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet.
He that is soon angry committeth folly; and a man of wicked devices 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 crown themselves 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 bad sink down before the good; and the wicked are 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.
Even to his own neighbor is the poor man hateful; but the friends of the rich are many.
21 He who has no respect for his neighbour is a sinner, but he who has pity for the poor is happy.
He that despiseth his neighbor is a sinner; but he that is gracious to the poor—happiness attend him!
22 Will not the designers of evil come into error? But mercy and good faith are for the designers of good.
Behold, those who contrive evil are in error; but kindness and truth attend on those who contrive what is good.
23 In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.
In all painful labor there is profit; but mere words of the lips [lead] only to want.
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 riches; but the folly of fools is [only] folly.
25 A true witness is the saviour of lives; but he who says false things is a cause of deceit.
A deliverer of souls is the true witness; but a witness of deceit uttereth lies.
26 For him in whose heart is the fear of the Lord there is strong hope: and his children will have a safe place.
In the fear of the Lord is the strong confidence [of man], and unto his children will it be a place of shelter.
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 the source of life, [teaching] to avoid 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.
In the multitude of people is the king's glory; but in the want of a population is the downfall of the prince.
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.
He that is slow to anger is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit holdeth up [to view] his folly.
30 A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.
A sound heart is the life of the body; but jealousy is the rottenness of 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.
He that oppresseth the poor blasphemeth his Maker; but he that is gracious to the needy honoreth him.
32 The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the upright man has hope in his righteousness.
Through his own evil is the wicked thrust down; but even in his death doth the righteous have confidence.
33 Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.
In the heart of the man of understanding resteth wisdom: but [the little which is] in the bosom of fools is made known.
34 By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.
Righteousness exalteth a people; but the disgrace of nations is sin.
35 The king has pleasure in a servant who does wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.
The king's favor is bestowed on an intelligent servant; but his wrath is against him that deserveth shame.
