Proverbs 14
1 Wise women build houses: but a foolish one digs [hers] down with her hands.
Every wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down.
2 He that walks uprightly fears the Lord; but he that is perverse in his ways shall be dishonoured.
Whoso is walking in his uprightness is fearing Jehovah, And the perverted [in] his ways is despising Him.
3 Out of the mouth of fools [comes] a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise preserve them.
In the mouth of a fool [is] a rod of pride, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Where no oxen are, the cribs are clean; but where there is abundant produce, the strength of the ox is apparent.
Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie; but an unjust witness kindles falsehoods.
A faithful witness lieth not, And a false witness breatheth out lies.
6 Thou shalt seek wisdom with bad men, and shalt not find it; but discretion is easily available with the prudent.
A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent [is] easy.
7 All things are adverse to a foolish man; but wise lips are the weapons of discretion.
Go from before a foolish man, Or thou hast not known the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent will understand their ways; but the folly of fools leads astray.
The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
9 The houses of transgressors will need purification; but the houses of the just are acceptable.
Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright — a pleasing thing.
10 [If] a man's mind is intelligent, his soul is sorrowful; and when he rejoices, he has no fellowship with pride.
The heart knoweth its own bitterness, And with its joy a stranger doth not intermeddle.
11 The houses of ungodly men shall be utterly destroyed; but the tabernacles of them that walk uprightly shall stand.
The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourisheth.
12 There is a way which seems to be right with men, but the ends of it reach to the depths of hell. (questioned)
There is a way — right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
13 Grief mingles not with mirth; and joy in the end comes to grief.
Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
14 A stout-hearted [man] shall be filled with his own ways; and a good man with his own thoughts.
From his ways is the backslider in heart filled, And a good man — from his fruits.
15 The simple believes every word: but the prudent man betakes himself to after-thought.
The simple giveth credence to everything, And the prudent attendeth to his step.
16 A wise man fears, and departs from evil; but the fool trusts in himself, and joins himself with the transgressor.
The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17 A passionate man acts inconsiderately; but a sensible man bears up under many things.
Whoso is short of temper doth folly, And a man of wicked devices is hated.
18 Fools shall have mischief for their portion; but the prudent shall take fast hold of understanding.
The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
19 Evil men shall fall before the good; and the ungodly shall attend at the gates of the righteous.
The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 Friends will hate poor friends; but the friends of the rich are many.
Even of his neighbour is the poor hated, And those loving the rich [are] many.
21 He that dishonours the needy sins: but he that has pity on the poor is most blessed.
Whoso is despising his neighbour sinneth, Whoso is favouring the humble, O his happiness.
22 They that go astray devise evils: but the good devise mercy and truth. The framers of evil do not understand mercy and truth: but compassion and faithfulness are with the framers of good.
Do not they err who are devising evil? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
23 With every one [who is] careful there is abundance: but the pleasure-taking and indolent shall be in want.
In all labour there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
24 A prudent man is the crown of the wise: but the occupation of fools is evil.
The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
25 A faithful witness shall deliver a soul from evil: but a deceitful [man] kindles falsehoods.
A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breatheth out lies.
26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and he leaves his children a support.
In the fear of Jehovah [is] strong confidence, And to His sons there is a refuge.
27 The commandment of the Lord is a fountain of life; and it causes [men] to turn aside from the snare of death.
The fear of Jehovah [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
28 In a populous nation is the glory of a king: but in the failure of people is the ruin of a prince.
In the multitude of a people [is] the honour of a king, And in lack of people the ruin of a prince.
29 A man slow to wrath abounds in wisdom: but a man of impatient spirit is very foolish.
Whoso is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoso is short in temper is exalting folly.
30 A meek-spirited man is a healer of the heart: but a sensitive heart is a corruption of the bones.
A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
31 He that oppresses the needy provokes his Maker: but he that honours him has pity upon the poor.
An oppressor of the poor reproacheth his Maker, And whoso is honouring Him Is favouring the needy.
32 The ungodly shall be driven away in his wickedness: but he who is secure in his own holiness is just.
In his wickedness is the wicked driven away, And trustful in his death [is] the righteous.
33 There is wisdom in the good heart of a man: but in the heart of fools it is not discerned.
In the heart of the intelligent wisdom doth rest. And in the midst of fools it is known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation: but sins diminish tribes.
Righteousness exalteth a nation, And the goodliness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
35 An understanding servant is acceptable to a king; and by his good behaviour he removes disgrace.
The favour of a king [is] to a wise servant, And an object of his wrath is one causing shame!
