Proverbs 14
1 Wise women build houses: but a foolish one digs [hers] down with her hands.
Every wise woman has built her house, And the foolish breaks it down with her hands.
2 He that walks uprightly fears the Lord; but he that is perverse in his ways shall be dishonored.
Whoever is walking in his uprightness is fearing YHWH, And the perverted is despising Him [in] his ways.
3 Out of the mouth of fools [comes] a 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 no oxen are, the cribs are clean; but where there is abundant produce, the strength of the ox is apparent.
Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie; but an unjust witness kindles falsehoods.
A faithful witness does not lie, And a false witness breathes out lies.
6 You shall seek wisdom with bad men, and shall not find it; but discretion is easily available with the prudent.
A scorner has sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge [is] easy to the intelligent.
7 All things are adverse to a foolish man; but wise lips are the weapons of discretion.
Go from before a foolish man, Or you have not known the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent will understand their ways; but the folly of fools leads astray.
The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
9 The houses of transgressors will need purification; but the houses of the just are acceptable.
Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright—a pleasing thing.
10 [If] a man's mind is intelligent, his soul is sorrowful; and when he rejoices, he has no fellowship with pride.
The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not interfere with its joy.
11 The houses of ungodly men shall be utterly destroyed; but the tabernacles of them that walk uprightly shall stand.
The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourishes.
12 There is a way which seems to be right with men, but the ends of it reach to the depths of hell. (questioned)
There is a way—right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
13 Grief mingles not with mirth; and joy in the end comes to grief.
Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
14 A stout-hearted [man] shall be filled with his own ways; and a good man with his own thoughts.
The backslider in heart is filled from his ways, And a good man—from his fruits.
15 The simple believes every word: but the prudent man betakes himself to afterthought.
The simple gives credence to everything, And the prudent attends to his step.
16 A wise man fears, and departs from evil; but the fool trusts in himself, and joins himself with the transgressor.
The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17 A passionate man acts inconsiderately; but a sensible man bears up under many things.
Whoever is short of temper does folly, And a man of wicked schemes is hated.
18 Fools shall have mischief for their portion; but the prudent shall take fast hold of understanding.
The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
19 Evil men shall fall before the good; and the ungodly shall attend at the gates of the righteous.
The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 Friends will hate poor friends; 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 dishonors the needy sins: but he that has pity on the poor is most blessed.
Whoever is despising his neighbor sins, Whoever is favoring the humble, O his blessedness.
22 They that go astray devise evils: but the good devise mercy and truth. The framers of evil do not understand mercy and truth: but compassion and faithfulness are with the framers of good.
Do they who are devising evil not err? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
23 With every one [who is] careful there is abundance: but the pleasure-taking and indolent shall be in lack.
In all labor there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
24 A prudent man is the crown of the wise: but the occupation of fools is evil.
The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
25 A faithful witness shall deliver a soul from evil: but a deceitful [man] kindles falsehoods.
A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breathes out lies.
26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and he leaves his children a support.
Strong confidence [is] in the fear of YHWH, And there is a refuge to His sons.
27 The commandment of the Lord is a fountain of life; and it causes [men] to turn aside from the snare of death.
The fear of YHWH [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
28 In a populous nation is the glory of a king: but in the failure 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 A man slow to wrath abounds in wisdom: but a man of impatient spirit is very foolish.
Whoever is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoever is short in temper is exalting folly.
30 A meek-spirited man is a healer of the heart: but a sensitive heart is a corruption of the bones.
A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
31 He that oppresses the needy provokes his Maker: but he that honors him has pity upon the poor.
An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker, And whoever is honoring Him Is favoring the needy.
32 The ungodly shall be driven away in his wickedness: but he who is secure in his own holiness is just.
The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, And the righteous [is] trustful in his death.
33 There is wisdom in the good heart of a man: but in the heart of fools it is not discerned.
Wisdom rests in the heart of the intelligent. And it is known in the midst of fools.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation: but sins diminish tribes.
Righteousness exalts a nation, And the righteousness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
35 An understanding servant is acceptable to a king; and by his good behavior he removes disgrace.
The favor of a king [is] to a wise servant, And one causing shame is an object of his wrath!
