Proverbs 14

1 Every wise woman builds her house, but the stupid woman tears it down with her own hands.

Wise women [PRS] hold their families together [by the wise things that they do], but foolish women ruin their families by the foolish things that they do.

2 Those who live right respect the Lord, but those who live dishonestly despise him.

By [continually] behaving/acting righteously, [people show that they] greatly revere Yahweh; those who (walk on crooked paths/always deceive others) [show that they] despise him.

3 What stupid people say punishes their pride, but what wise people say will protect them.

Foolish people will be punished [MTY] for what they say, but wise [people] will be protected by what they say [MTY].

4 Without oxen, the manger is empty, but a good harvest comes through the ox's strength.

If [a man has] no oxen [to plow his field], he does not [need to put] grain [in their feedbox], but if [he has] oxen, they will enable [him to produce] an abundant crop.

5 A trustworthy witness doesn't lie, but a false witness is deceptive.

Witnesses who are reliable [always] say what (is true/really happened), but witnesses who are not reliable constantly tell lies [about what happened].

6 It's pointless for a scoffer to look for wisdom, but knowledge comes easily to someone who understands.

Those who make fun [of being wise] will never become wise, but those who understand [what is right] learn things easily.

7 Stay away from stupid people—you won't learn anything from them.

Stay away from foolish people, because they will not be able to teach you anything [useful].

8 Sensible people use their wisdom to decide where they're going, but the foolishness of stupid people is treacherous.

Those who have good sense are wise, so they know what they should do [and what they should not do]; foolish people do not know what is right to do, but because they think that they do, they are deceiving themselves.

9 Stupid people laugh at sin, but good people want forgiveness.

Foolish people make fun of their committing sins; but God is pleased with those who do what is right.

10 The individual's mind alone knows its sadnesses, and no one else can share its happiness.

If you are very sad or if you are joyful, only you know what you are experiencing; no one else [can] know what you are feeling.

11 The house of wicked people will be destroyed, but the tent of good people will prosper.

Houses built by wicked [people] will be destroyed, but houses built by good/righteous [people] will last for a long time.

12 There's a way that seems to be right, but in the end it's the way of death.

There are some kinds of behavior [MET] that [some] people [falsely] think are right, but (walking on those roads/continually doing those things) causes [those people] to die.

13 Even when you're laughing you can be feeling sad—joy can end in grief.

[Sometimes] when people laugh, they are [really] sad, and when they stop laughing, they are still sad.

14 Disloyal people are repaid for what they do, and good people are rewarded.

Those who stubbornly continue to do what is wrong will get what they deserve, and those who continually do what is good will [also] get what they deserve.

15 Stupid people believe whatever they're told, but sensible people think about what they're doing.

Foolish people believe everything [that people tell them]; those who have good sense think carefully about what will be the result of their actions.

16 Wise people are careful and avoid evil, but stupid people are confidently reckless.

Wise people are careful and avoid [doing things that will give them] trouble; foolish people are careless and act (too quickly/without thinking).

17 Quick-tempered people act foolishly, while people who make evil plans are hated.

Those who quickly become angry [IDM] do foolish things; [people] hate those who plan to do wicked things (OR, those who have good sense remain calm/patient).

18 The inheritance of stupid people is stupidity, but sensible people are rewarded with knowledge.

Foolish people get what they deserve for doing foolish things; those with good sense are rewarded [MET] by being able to learn a lot.

19 Evil people bow down before good people, and the wicked bow down at the doors of those who do right.

[Some day] evil [people] will bow down in front of righteous [people to show that they respect them]; they [will humbly stand] at the gates of [the houses of] righteous [people and request their help].

20 The poor are hated even by their neighbors, while the rich have many friends.

[No one likes] poor [people]; even their friends/neighbors do not like them; rich [people] have many friends, but [only while the rich people still have money].

21 People who look down on their neighbors are sinners, but those who are kind to the poor are blessed.

It is sinful to despise your [poor] neighbors; [God] is pleased with those who do kind things for the poor.

22 Aren't people who plan to do evil wrong? But those who plan to do good have trustworthy love and faithfulness.

Those who plan to do things that are evil/wrong are walking on the wrong road; people faithfully love, respect and are loyal to those who plan to do what is good.

23 There's profit in hard work, but chatting just leads to poverty.

If you work hard, you will (accomplish something good/get a good income), but if all you do is to talk [and not work], you will remain poor.

24 The wise are rewarded with wealth, but stupid people are rewarded with stupidity.

One of the rewards [MET] of being wise is to become rich; the reward of acting foolishly is to become more foolish.

25 A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is treacherous.

By saying [in court] what is true, you [can] save the life [of the one who is being falsely accused]; if you tell lies, you are abandoning someone who needs your help [to defend him].

26 People who honor the Lord are completely safe; he will protect their children.

Those who revere Yahweh are confident [that he will protect them], and their family will [also] be protected.

27 Respecting the Lord is like a fountain of life, so you can avoid the snares of death.

Having an awesome respect for Yahweh is [like] [MET] [having] a fountain that gives life; it will help you to escape when something dangerous is threatening to kill you [MET].

28 The glory of a king is the number of his subjects, for a ruler is nothing without them.

If a king rules over many people, many people will [be able to] honor him; if he has only a few people in his kingdom, he will have very little [HYP] power.

29 If you're slow to get angry, you're very wise; but if you have a short fuse you glorify stupidity.

Those who do not quickly become angry are very wise; by quickly becoming angry, people show that they are foolish.

30 A peaceful mind makes your body healthy, but jealousy makes your bones rot.

Having a mind that is peaceful results in having a healthy body; having a mind that is [often] in turmoil is [like] [MET] cancer in [a person’s] bones.

31 Anyone who oppresses the poor insults their Maker, but anyone who is kind to the needy honors him.

Those who oppress poor people are insulting God, the one who made those poor people, but acting kindly toward them is respecting God.

32 Wicked people are brought down by their own evil actions, but those who live right are confident even in death.

Wicked [people] ruin themselves by the evil things that they do, but righteous/good [people] are kept safe/protected even when they die (OR, because of their continually doing what is right).

33 Wisdom is at home in a mind that understands, but it's not found among stupid people.

Those who have good sense always think what is wise; foolish people do not know anything about being wise.

34 Doing right makes a nation successful, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

[When] the people of a nation [continually act] righteously, it causes that nation to be great; [continually doing what is] evil causes a nation to be disgraced.

35 A servant who acts wisely is appreciated by the king, but he gets angry with a servant who acts disgracefully.

Kings are pleased with officials who do their work competently/skillfully, but they punish [MTY] those who [do their work in a manner that] causes the kings to be disgraced.