Proverbs 14
1 A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish will pull down with her hands that also which is built.
Every wise woman has built her house, And the foolish breaks 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.
Whoever is walking in his uprightness is fearing YHWH, And the perverted is despising Him [in] his ways.
3 In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride: but the lips of the wise preserve them.
A rod of pride [is] in the mouth of a fool, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the crib is empty: but where there is much corn, there the strength of the ox is manifest.
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 deceitful witness uttereth a lie.
A faithful witness does not lie, And a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: the learning of the wise is easy.
A scorner has sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge [is] easy to the intelligent.
7 Go against a foolish man, and he knoweth not the lips of prudence.
Go from before a foolish man, Or you have not known 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 prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
9 A fool will laugh at sin, but among the just grace shall abide.
Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright—a pleasing thing.
10 The heart that knoweth the bitterness of his own soul, in his joy the stranger shall not intermeddle.
The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not interfere with its joy.
11 The house of the wicked shall be destroyed: but the tabernacles of the just shall flourish.
The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourishes.
12 There is a way which seemeth just to a man: but the ends thereof lead to death.
There is a way—right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
13 Laughter shall be mingled with sorrow, and mourning taketh hold of the end of joy.
Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
14 A fool shall be filled with his own ways, and the good man shall be above him.
The backslider in heart is filled from his ways, And a good man—from his fruits.
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 gives credence to everything, And the prudent attends to his step.
16 A wise man feareth and declineth from evil: the fool leapeth over and is confident.
The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17 The impatient man shall work folly: and the crafty man is hateful.
Whoever is short of temper does folly, And a man of wicked schemes is hated.
18 The childish shall possess folly, and the prudent, shall look for knowledge.
The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
19 The evil shall fall down before the good: and the wicked before the gates of the just.
The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor man shall be hateful even to his own neighbour: but the friends of the rich are many.
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 sheweth mercy to the poor, shall be blessed. He that believeth in the Lord, loveth mercy.
Whoever is despising his neighbor sins, Whoever is favoring the humble, O his blessedness.
22 They err that work evil: but mercy and truth prepare good things.
Do they who are devising evil not err? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
23 In much work there shall be abundance: but where there are many words, there is oftentimes 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 fools, imprudence.
The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
25 A faithful witness delivereth souls: and the double dealer uttereth lies.
A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breathes out lies.
26 In the fear of the Lord is confidence of strength, and there shall be hope for his children.
Strong confidence [is] in the fear of YHWH, And there is a refuge to His sons.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to decline from the ruin 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 dignity of the king: and in the small number of people the dishonour of the 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 patient, is governed with much wisdom: but he that is impatient, exalteth his folly.
Whoever is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoever is short in temper is exalting folly.
30 Soundness of heart is the life of the flesh: but envy is 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, upbraideth his Maker: but he that hath pity on the poor, honoureth him.
An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker, And whoever is honoring Him Is favoring the needy.
32 The wicked man shall be driven out in his wickedness: but the just hath hope in his death.
The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, And the righteous [is] trustful in his death.
33 In the heart of the prudent resteth wisdom, and it shall instruct all the ignorant.
Wisdom rests in the heart of the intelligent. And it is known in the midst of fools.
34 Justice exalteth a nation: but sin maketh nations miserable.
Righteousness exalts a nation, And the righteousness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
35 A wise servant is acceptable to the king: he that is good for nothing shall feel his anger.
The favor of a king [is] to a wise servant, And one causing shame is an object of his wrath!
