< Proverbs 14 >

1 Wise women build houses: but a foolish one digs [hers] down with her hands.
חַכְמ֣וֹת נָ֭שִׁים בָּנְתָ֣ה בֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝אִוֶּ֗לֶת בְּיָדֶ֥יהָ תֶהֶרְסֶֽנּוּ׃
2 He that walks uprightly fears the Lord; but he that is perverse in his ways shall be dishonoured.
הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּ֭יָשְׁרוֹ יְרֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה וּנְל֖וֹז דְּרָכָ֣יו בּוֹזֵֽהוּ׃
3 Out of the mouth of fools [comes] a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise preserve them.
בְּֽפִי־אֱ֭וִיל חֹ֣טֶר גַּאֲוָ֑ה וְשִׂפְתֵ֥י חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים תִּשְׁמוּרֵֽם׃
4 Where no oxen are, the cribs are clean; but where there is abundant produce, the strength of the ox is apparent.
בְּאֵ֣ין אֲ֭לָפִים אֵב֣וּס בָּ֑ר וְרָב־תְּ֝בוּא֗וֹת בְּכֹ֣חַ שֽׁוֹר׃
5 A faithful witness does not lie; but an unjust witness kindles falsehoods.
עֵ֣ד אֱ֭מוּנִים לֹ֣א יְכַזֵּ֑ב וְיָפִ֥יחַ כְּ֝זָבִ֗ים עֵ֣ד שָֽׁקֶר׃
6 You shall seek wisdom with bad men, and shall not find it; but discretion is easily available with the prudent.
בִּקֶּשׁ־לֵ֣ץ חָכְמָ֣ה וָאָ֑יִן וְדַ֖עַת לְנָב֣וֹן נָקָֽל׃
7 All things are adverse to a foolish man; but wise lips are the weapons of discretion.
לֵ֣ךְ מִ֭נֶּגֶד לְאִ֣ישׁ כְּסִ֑יל וּבַל־יָ֝דַ֗עְתָּ שִׂפְתֵי־דָֽעַת׃
8 The wisdom of the prudent will understand their ways; but the folly of fools leads astray.
חָכְמַ֣ת עָ֭רוּם הָבִ֣ין דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְאִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃
9 The houses of transgressors will need purification; but the houses of the just are acceptable.
אֱ֭וִלִים יָלִ֣יץ אָשָׁ֑ם וּבֵ֖ין יְשָׁרִ֣ים רָצֽוֹן׃
10 [If] a man's mind is intelligent, his soul is sorrowful; and when he rejoices, he has no fellowship with pride.
לֵ֗ב י֭וֹדֵעַ מָרַּ֣ת נַפְשׁ֑וֹ וּ֝בְשִׂמְחָת֗וֹ לֹא־יִתְעָ֥רַב זָֽר׃
11 The houses of ungodly men shall be utterly destroyed; but the tabernacles of them that walk uprightly shall stand.
בֵּ֣ית רְ֭שָׁעִים יִשָּׁמֵ֑ד וְאֹ֖הֶל יְשָׁרִ֣ים יַפְרִֽיחַ׃
12 There is a way which seems to be right with men, but the ends of it reach to the depths of hell. (questioned)
יֵ֤שׁ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יָ֭שָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת ׃
13 Grief mingles not with mirth; and joy in the end comes to grief.
גַּם־בִּשְׂח֥וֹק יִכְאַב־לֵ֑ב וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖הּ שִׂמְחָ֣ה תוּגָֽה׃
14 A stout-hearted [man] shall be filled with his own ways; and a good man with his own thoughts.
מִדְּרָכָ֣יו יִ֭שְׂבַּע ס֣וּג לֵ֑ב וּ֝מֵעָלָ֗יו אִ֣ישׁ טֽוֹב׃
15 The simple believes every word: but the prudent man betakes himself to afterthought.
פֶּ֭תִי יַאֲמִ֣ין לְכָל־דָּבָ֑ר וְ֝עָר֗וּם יָבִ֥ין לַאֲשֻׁרֽוֹ׃
16 A wise man fears, and departs from evil; but the fool trusts in himself, and joins himself with the transgressor.
חָכָ֣ם יָ֭רֵא וְסָ֣ר מֵרָ֑ע וּ֝כְסִ֗יל מִתְעַבֵּ֥ר וּבוֹטֵֽחַ׃
17 A passionate man acts inconsiderately; but a sensible man bears up under many things.
קְֽצַר־אַ֭פַּיִם יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה אִוֶּ֑לֶת וְאִ֥ישׁ מְ֝זִמּ֗וֹת יִשָּׂנֵֽא׃
18 Fools shall have mischief for their portion; but the prudent shall take fast hold of understanding.
נָחֲל֣וּ פְתָאיִ֣ם אִוֶּ֑לֶת וַֽ֝עֲרוּמִ֗ים יַכְתִּ֥רוּ דָֽעַת׃
19 Evil men shall fall before the good; and the ungodly shall attend at the gates of the righteous.
שַׁח֣וּ רָ֭עִים לִפְנֵ֣י טוֹבִ֑ים וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים עַֽל־שַׁעֲרֵ֥י צַדִּֽיק׃
20 Friends will hate poor friends; but the friends of the rich are many.
גַּם־לְ֭רֵעֵהוּ יִשָּׂ֣נֵא רָ֑שׁ וְאֹהֲבֵ֖י עָשִׁ֣יר רַבִּֽים׃
21 He that dishonours the needy sins: but he that has pity on the poor is most blessed.
בָּז־לְרֵעֵ֥הוּ חוֹטֵ֑א וּמְחוֹנֵ֖ן עניים אַשְׁרָֽיו׃
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.
הֲֽלוֹא־יִ֭תְעוּ חֹ֣רְשֵׁי רָ֑ע וְחֶ֥סֶד וֶ֝אֱמֶ֗ת חֹ֣רְשֵׁי טֽוֹב׃
23 With every one [who is] careful there is abundance: but the pleasure-taking and indolent shall be in lack.
בְּכָל־עֶ֭צֶב יִהְיֶ֣ה מוֹתָ֑ר וּדְבַר־שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃
24 A prudent man is the crown of the wise: but the occupation of fools is evil.
עֲטֶ֣רֶת חֲכָמִ֣ים עָשְׁרָ֑ם אִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
25 A faithful witness shall deliver a soul from evil: but a deceitful [man] kindles falsehoods.
מַצִּ֣יל נְ֭פָשׁוֹת עֵ֣ד אֱמֶ֑ת וְיָפִ֖חַ כְּזָבִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃
26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and he leaves his children a support.
בְּיִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה מִבְטַח־עֹ֑ז וּ֝לְבָנָ֗יו יִהְיֶ֥ה מַחְסֶֽה׃
27 The commandment of the Lord is a fountain of life; and it causes [men] to turn aside from the snare of death.
יִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים לָ֝ס֗וּר מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁי מָֽוֶת׃
28 In a populous nation is the glory of a king: but in the failure of people is the ruin of a prince.
בְּרָב־עָ֥ם הַדְרַת־מֶ֑לֶךְ וּבְאֶ֥פֶס לְ֝אֹ֗ם מְחִתַּ֥ת רָזֽוֹן׃
29 A man slow to wrath abounds in wisdom: but a man of impatient spirit is very foolish.
אֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם רַב־תְּבוּנָ֑ה וּקְצַר־ר֝֗וּחַ מֵרִ֥ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
30 A meek-spirited man is a healer of the heart: but a sensitive heart is a corruption of the bones.
חַיֵּ֣י בְ֭שָׂרִים לֵ֣ב מַרְפֵּ֑א וּרְקַ֖ב עֲצָמ֣וֹת קִנְאָֽה׃
31 He that oppresses the needy provokes his Maker: but he that honours him has pity upon the poor.
עֹ֣שֵֽׁק־דָּ֭ל חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ וּ֝מְכַבְּד֗וֹ חֹנֵ֥ן אֶבְיֽוֹן׃
32 The ungodly shall be driven away in his wickedness: but he who is secure in his own holiness is just.
בְּֽ֭רָעָתוֹ יִדָּחֶ֣ה רָשָׁ֑ע וְחֹסֶ֖ה בְמוֹת֣וֹ צַדִּֽיק׃
33 There is wisdom in the good heart of a man: but in the heart of fools it is not discerned.
בְּלֵ֣ב נָ֭בוֹן תָּנ֣וּחַ חָכְמָ֑ה וּבְקֶ֥רֶב כְּ֝סִילִ֗ים תִּוָּדֵֽעַ׃
34 Righteousness exalts a nation: but sins diminish tribes.
צְדָקָ֥ה תְרֽוֹמֵֽם־גּ֑וֹי וְחֶ֖סֶד לְאֻמִּ֣ים חַטָּֽאת׃
35 An understanding servant is acceptable to a king; and by his good behaviour he removes disgrace.
רְֽצוֹן־מֶ֭לֶךְ לְעֶ֣בֶד מַשְׂכִּ֑יל וְ֝עֶבְרָת֗וֹ תִּהְיֶ֥ה מֵבִֽישׁ׃

< Proverbs 14 >