< Proverbs 14 >
1 The wisdom of women buildeth their house; but folly plucketh it down with her hands.
Every wise woman has built her house, And the foolish breaks it down with her hands.
2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth Jehovah; but he that is perverted in his ways despiseth him.
Whoever is walking in his uprightness is fearing YHWH, And the perverted is despising Him [in] his ways.
3 In the fool's mouth is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
A rod of pride [is] in the mouth of a fool, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
5 A faithful witness will not lie; but a false witness uttereth lies.
A faithful witness does not lie, And a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and there is none [for him]; but knowledge is easy unto the intelligent.
A scorner has sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge [is] easy to the intelligent.
7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, in whom thou perceivest not the lips of knowledge.
Go from before a foolish man, Or you have not known the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way; but the folly of the foolish is deceit.
The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
9 Fools make a mock at trespass; but for the upright there is favour.
Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright—a pleasing thing.
10 The heart knoweth its own bitterness, and a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy.
The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not interfere with its joy.
11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown; but the tent of the upright shall flourish.
The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourishes.
12 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death.
There is a way—right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of mirth is sadness.
Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways, and the good man from what is in himself.
The backslider in heart is filled from his ways, And a good man—from his fruits.
15 The simple believeth every word; but the prudent [man] heedeth his going.
The simple gives credence to everything, And the prudent attends to his step.
16 A wise [man] feareth and departeth from evil; but the foolish is overbearing and confident.
The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly, and a man of mischievous devices is hated.
Whoever is short of temper does folly, And a man of wicked schemes is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly; but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
19 The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous [man].
The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 He that is poor is hated even of his own neighbour; but the rich hath many friends.
The poor is hated even of his neighbor, And those loving the rich [are] many.
21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth; but he that is gracious to the afflicted, happy is he.
Whoever is despising his neighbor sins, Whoever is favoring the humble, O his blessedness.
22 Do they not err that devise evil? but loving-kindness and truth are for those that devise good.
Do they who are devising evil not err? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
23 In all labour there is profit; but the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to want.
In all labor there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches; the folly of the foolish is folly.
The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
25 A true witness delivereth souls; but deceit uttereth lies.
A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breathes out lies.
26 In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge.
Strong confidence [is] in the fear of YHWH, And there is a refuge to His sons.
27 The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life, to turn away from the snares of death.
The fear of YHWH [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
28 In the multitude of people is the king's glory; but in the lack of people is the ruin of a prince.
The honor of a king [is] in the multitude of a people, And the ruin of a prince in lack of people.
29 He that is slow to anger is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
Whoever is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoever is short in temper is exalting folly.
30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh; but envy the rottenness of the bones.
A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker; but he that honoureth Him is gracious to the needy.
An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker, And whoever is honoring Him Is favoring the needy.
32 The wicked is driven away by his evil-doing; but the righteous trusteth, [even] in his death.
The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, And the righteous [is] trustful in his death.
33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of the intelligent [man]; but that which is in the foolish maketh itself known.
Wisdom rests in the heart of the intelligent. And it is known in the midst of fools.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to peoples.
Righteousness exalts a nation, And the righteousness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
35 The king's favour is toward a wise servant; but his wrath is [against] him that causeth shame.
The favor of a king [is] to a wise servant, And one causing shame is an object of his wrath!