< Proverbs 14 >
1 Every wise woman has built her house, And the foolish breaks it down with her hands.
Every wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
2 Whoever is walking in his uprightness is fearing YHWH, And the perverted is despising Him [in] his ways.
He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD; but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth Him.
3 A rod of pride [is] in the mouth of a fool, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
4 Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie, And a false witness breathes out lies.
A faithful witness will not lie; but a false witness breatheth forth lies.
6 A scorner has sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge [is] easy to the intelligent.
A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not; but knowledge is easy unto him that hath discernment.
7 Go from before a foolish man, Or you have not known the lips of knowledge.
Go from the presence of a foolish man, for thou wilt not perceive the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
The wisdom of the prudent is to look well to his way; but the folly of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright—a pleasing thing.
Amends pleadeth for fools; but among the upright there is good will.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not interfere with its joy.
The heart knoweth its own bitterness; and with its joy no stranger can intermeddle.
11 The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourishes.
The house of the wicked shall be overthrown; but the tent of the upright shall flourish.
12 There is a way—right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
13 Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
Even in laughter the heart acheth; and the end of mirth is heaviness.
14 The backslider in heart is filled from his ways, And a good man—from his fruits.
The dissembler in heart shall have his fill from his own ways; and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
15 The simple gives credence to everything, And the prudent attends to his step.
The thoughtless believeth every word; but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
16 The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; but the fool behaveth overbearingly, and is confident.
17 Whoever is short of temper does folly, And a man of wicked schemes is hated.
He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly; and a man of wicked devices is hated.
18 The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
The thoughtless come into possession of folly; but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is hated even of his neighbor, And those loving the rich [are] many.
The poor is hated even of his own neighbour; but the rich hath many friends.
21 Whoever is despising his neighbor sins, Whoever is favoring the humble, O his blessedness.
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth; but he that is gracious unto the humble, happy is he.
22 Do they who are devising evil not err? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
Shall they not go astray that devise evil? But mercy and truth shall be for them that devise good.
23 In all labor there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
In all labour there is profit; but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
The crown of the wise is their riches; but the folly of fools remaineth folly.
25 A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breathes out lies.
A true witness delivereth souls; but he that breatheth forth lies is all deceit.
26 Strong confidence [is] in the fear of YHWH, And there is a refuge to His sons.
In the fear of the LORD a man hath strong confidence; and his children shall have a place of refuge.
27 The fear of YHWH [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
28 The honor of a king [is] in the multitude of a people, And the ruin of a prince in lack of people.
In the multitude of people is the king's glory; but in the want of people is the ruin of the prince.
29 Whoever is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoever is short in temper is exalting folly.
He that is slow to anger is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
30 A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh; but envy is the rottenness of the bones.
31 An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker, And whoever is honoring Him Is favoring the needy.
He that oppresseth the poor blasphemeth his Maker; but he that is gracious unto the needy honoureth Him.
32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, And the righteous [is] trustful in his death.
The wicked is thrust down in his misfortune; but the righteous, even when he is brought to death, hath hope.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of the intelligent. And it is known in the midst of fools.
In the heart of him that hath discernment wisdom resteth; but in the inward part of fools it maketh itself known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, And the righteousness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 The favor of a king [is] to a wise servant, And one causing shame is an object of his wrath!
The king's favour is toward a servant that dealeth wisely; but his wrath striketh him that dealeth shamefully.