Proverbs 14
1 A wise woman builds up her household. But a foolish one will pull down with her own hands what has been built up.
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
2 One who walks on a virtuous journey, and who fears God, is despised by him who advances along a disreputable way.
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.
3 In the mouth of the foolish, there is a rod of arrogance. But the lips of the wise guard them.
In the mouth of the foolish man is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.
4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty. But where there are many crops, there the strength of the ox is manifest.
Where there are no oxen, their food-place is clean; but much increase comes through the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness will not lie. But a deceitful witness offers a lie.
A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and does not find it. The doctrine of the prudent is accessible.
The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man.
7 Go against a foolish man, and he does not acknowledge lips of prudence.
Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of a discerning man is to understand his way. And the imprudence of the foolish is to be wandering astray.
The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.
9 The foolish will speak mockingly of sin. But grace lingers among the just.
In the tents of those hating authority there is error, but in the house of the upright man there is grace.
10 The heart that knows the bitterness of its own soul, in its gladness the outsider shall not meddle.
No one has knowledge of a man's grief but himself; and a strange person has no part in his joy.
11 The house of the impious will be wiped away. Yet truly, the tabernacles of the just shall spring forth.
The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of the upright man will do well.
12 There is a way which seems just to a man, but its conclusion leads to death.
There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
13 Laughter shall be mingled with sorrow, and mourning occupies the limits of joy.
Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.
14 The foolish will be filled up by his own ways. And the good man shall be above him.
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.
15 The innocent trust every word. The astute one considers his own steps. Nothing good will be for the deceitful son. But the wise servant shall act prosperously and his way will be set in order.
The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
16 The wise fear, and so turn away from evil. The foolish leap ahead with confidence.
The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.
17 The impatient will work foolishness. And a resourceful man is hated.
He who is quickly angry will do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet.
18 The childish will possess foolishness, and the discerning will anticipate knowledge.
Foolish behaviour is the heritage of the simple, but men of good sense are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil will fall down before the good. And the impious will fall down before the gates of the just.
The knees of the evil are bent before the good; and sinners go down in the dust at the doors of the upright.
20 The pauper will be hated, even by his own neighbor. Yet truly, the friends of the wealthy are many.
The poor man is hated even by his neighbour, but the man of wealth has numbers of friends.
21 Whoever despises his neighbor, sins. But whoever pities the poor shall be blessed. Whoever trusts in the Lord loves mercy.
He who has no respect for his neighbour is a sinner, but he who has pity for the poor is happy.
22 They wander astray who work evil. But mercy and truth prepare good things.
Will not the designers of evil come into error? But mercy and good faith are for the designers of good.
23 In every work, there shall be abundance. But where there are many words, there is often need.
In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth. The senselessness of the foolish is imprudence.
Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.
25 A faithful witness frees souls. And the chameleon utters lies.
A true witness is the saviour of lives; but he who says false things is a cause of deceit.
26 In the fear of the Lord is the faithfulness of strength, and there shall be hope for his sons.
For him in whose heart is the fear of the Lord there is strong hope: and his children will have a safe place.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, so as to turn aside from the ruin of death.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, by which one may be turned from the nets of death.
28 In a multitude of people, there is dignity for the king. And in a paucity of people, there is disgrace for the prince.
A king's glory is in the number of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction.
29 Whoever is patient is governed by much prudence. But whoever is impatient exalts his foolishness.
He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is over-quick gives support to what is foolish.
30 The well-being of the heart is life for the flesh. But envy is decay for the bones.
A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.
31 Whoever slanders the indigent argues against his Maker. But he who has compassion on the poor honors his Maker.
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.
32 The impious will be expelled in his malice. But the just finds hope even in his own death.
The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the upright man has hope in his righteousness.
33 In the heart of the prudent, wisdom finds rest. And so shall he instruct all the uneducated.
Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.
34 Justice elevates a nation. But sin makes the peoples miserable.
By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.
35 An intelligent minister is acceptable to the king. Whoever is useless shall bear his wrath.
The king has pleasure in a servant who does wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.
