Proverbs 14

1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her 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 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but [he that is] perverse in his ways despiseth 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 In the mouth of the foolish [is] a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

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

4 Where no oxen [are], the crib [is] clean: but much increase [is] by the strength of the ox.

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 faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

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

6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and [findeth it] not: but knowledge [is] easy unto him that understandeth.

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

7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not [in him] the lips of knowledge.

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

8 The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way: but the folly of fools [is] deceit.

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 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous [there is] favour.

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

10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.

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 the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

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

12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways 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 in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth [is] heaviness.

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

14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man [shall be satisfied] from himself.

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 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent [man] looketh well to his going.

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 A wise [man] feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

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

17 [He that is] soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is 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 simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned 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 The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

[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 is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich [hath] 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 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy [is] he.

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

22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth [shall be] to them that devise good.

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 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to penury.

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 crown of the wise [is] their riches: [but] the foolishness of fools [is] folly.

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

25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful [witness] speaketh lies.

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 In the fear of the LORD [is] strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

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

27 The fear of the LORD [is] a fountain of life, to depart from 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 In the multitude of people [is] the king’s honour: but in the want of people [is] the destruction of the prince.

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 [He that is] slow to wrath [is] of great understanding: but [he that is] hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

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

30 A sound heart [is] the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

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 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

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

32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his 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 resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but [that which is] in the midst of fools is made known.

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

34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin [is] a reproach 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 The king’s favour [is] toward a wise servant: but his wrath is [against] him that causeth shame.

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.