Proverbs 14
1 The wise among women buildeth her house; but the foolish pulleth it down with her own hands.
Every wise woman has built her house, And the foolish breaks it down with her hands.
2 In his uprightness walketh he that feareth the Lord; but perverse in his ways is he that despiseth him.
Whoever is walking in his uprightness is fearing YHWH, And the perverted is despising Him [in] his ways.
3 In the mouth of the foolish is a stick [for his] pride; but the lips of the wise will 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, is the crib clean; but the abundance of harvests is [only] through the strength of the ox.
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 false witness constantly uttereth lies.
A faithful witness does not lie, And a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and there is none; but knowledge is easy to the man of understanding.
A scorner has sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge [is] easy to the intelligent.
7 Go far away from a foolish man, else thou wilt [never] know the lips of knowledge.
Go from before a foolish man, Or you have not known the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way; but the folly of fools is deceit.
The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
9 The fool maketh a mockery of guilt; but among the upright there is good will.
Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright—a pleasing thing.
10 The heart knoweth its own bitterness; and with its joy can no stranger intermeddle.
The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not interfere with its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed: but the tent of the upright will flourish.
The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourishes.
12 There is many a way which seemeth even before a man; but its end are ways unto death.
There is a way—right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart feeleth pain; and at its end joy is sorrow.
Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
14 The backslider in heart will have enough of his own ways; and from him [departeth] the good men.
The backslider in heart is filled from his ways, And a good man—from his fruits.
15 The simple believeth every word; but the prudent man understandeth his steps.
The simple gives credence to everything, And the prudent attends to his step.
16 A wise man is fearful, and departeth from evil; but the fool exciteth himself, and is confident.
The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17 He that is soon angry committeth folly; and a man of wicked devices is hated.
Whoever is short of temper does folly, And a man of wicked schemes is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly; but the prudent crown themselves with knowledge.
The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
19 The bad sink down before the good; and the wicked are at the gates of the righteous.
The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 Even to his own neighbor is the poor man hateful; 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 neighbor is a sinner; but he that is gracious to the poor—happiness attend him!
Whoever is despising his neighbor sins, Whoever is favoring the humble, O his blessedness.
22 Behold, those who contrive evil are in error; but kindness and truth attend on those who contrive what is good.
Do they who are devising evil not err? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
23 In all painful labor there is profit; but mere words of the lips [lead] only to 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; but the folly of fools is [only] folly.
The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
25 A deliverer of souls is the true witness; but a witness of deceit uttereth lies.
A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breathes out lies.
26 In the fear of the Lord is the strong confidence [of man], and unto his children will it be a place of shelter.
Strong confidence [is] in the fear of YHWH, And there is a refuge to His sons.
27 The fear of the Lord is the source of life, [teaching] to avoid the snares 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 king's glory; but in the want of a population is the downfall 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 slow to anger is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit holdeth up [to view] his folly.
Whoever is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoever is short in temper is exalting folly.
30 A sound heart is the life of the body; but jealousy 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 blasphemeth his Maker; but he that is gracious to the needy honoreth him.
An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker, And whoever is honoring Him Is favoring the needy.
32 Through his own evil is the wicked thrust down; but even in his death doth the righteous have confidence.
The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, And the righteous [is] trustful in his death.
33 In the heart of the man of understanding resteth wisdom: but [the little which is] in the bosom of fools is made known.
Wisdom rests in the heart of the intelligent. And it is known in the midst of fools.
34 Righteousness exalteth a people; but the disgrace of nations is sin.
Righteousness exalts a nation, And the righteousness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
35 The king's favor is bestowed on an intelligent servant; but his wrath is against him that deserveth shame.
The favor of a king [is] to a wise servant, And one causing shame is an object of his wrath!
