Proverbs 14
1 A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish will pull down with her hands that also which is built.
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
2 He that walketh in the right way, and feareth God, Cis despised by him that goeth by an infamous 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 a fool is the rod of pride: but the lips of the wise preserve 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 crib is empty: but where there is much corn, 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 uttereth a lie.
A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.
6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: the learning of the wise is easy.
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 knoweth not the lips of prudence.
Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of a. discreet man is to understand his way: and the imprudence of fools erreth.
The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.
9 A fool will laugh at sin, but among the just grace shall abide.
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 knoweth the bitterness of his own soul, in his joy the stranger shall not intermeddle.
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 wicked shall be destroyed: but the tabernacles of the just shall flourish.
The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of the upright man will do well.
12 There is a way which seemeth just to a man: but the ends thereof lead 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 taketh hold of the end of joy.
Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.
14 A fool shall be filled with 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 believeth every word: the discreet man considereth his steps. No good shall come to the deceitful son: but the wise servant shall prosper in his dealings, and his way shall be made straight.
The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
16 A wise man feareth and declineth from evil: the fool leapeth over and is confident.
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 man shall work folly: and the crafty man is hateful.
He who is quickly angry will do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet.
18 The childish shall possess folly, and the prudent, shall look for knowledge.
Foolish behaviour is the heritage of the simple, but men of good sense are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil shall fall down before the good: and the wicked 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 poor man shall be hateful even to his own neighbour: but the friends of the rich are many.
The poor man is hated even by his neighbour, but the man of wealth has numbers of friends.
21 He that despiseth his neighbour, sinneth: but he that sheweth mercy to the poor, shall be blessed. He that believeth in the Lord, loveth mercy.
He who has no respect for his neighbour is a sinner, but he who has pity for the poor is happy.
22 They err that 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 much work there shall be abundance: but where there are many words, there is oftentimes want.
In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches: the folly of fools, imprudence.
Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.
25 A faithful witness delivereth souls: and the double dealer uttereth 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 confidence of strength, and there shall be hope for his children.
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, to decline 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 the multitude of people is the dignity of the king: and in the small number of people the dishonour of 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 He that is patient, is governed with much wisdom: but he that is impatient, exalteth his folly.
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 Soundness of heart is the life of the flesh: but envy is the rottenness of the bones.
A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.
31 He that oppresseth the poor, upbraideth his Maker: but he that hath pity on the poor, honoureth him.
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 wicked man shall be driven out in his wickedness: but the just hath hope in his 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 resteth wisdom, and it shall instruct all the ignorant.
Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.
34 Justice exalteth a nation: but sin maketh nations miserable.
By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.
35 A wise servant is acceptable to the king: he that is good for nothing shall feel his anger.
The king has pleasure in a servant who does wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.
