Proverbs 14
1 Every wise woman has built her house, And the foolish breaks it down with her hands.
Wise women build houses: but a foolish one digs [hers] 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 walks uprightly fears the Lord; but he that is perverse in his ways shall be dishonored.
3 A rod of pride [is] in the mouth of a fool, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
Out of the mouth of fools [comes] a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise 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 cribs are clean; but where there is abundant produce, the strength of the ox is apparent.
5 A faithful witness does not lie, And a false witness breathes out lies.
A faithful witness does not lie; but an unjust witness kindles falsehoods.
6 A scorner has sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge [is] easy to the intelligent.
You shall seek wisdom with bad men, and shall not find it; but discretion is easily available with the prudent.
7 Go from before a foolish man, Or you have not known the lips of knowledge.
All things are adverse to a foolish man; but wise lips are the weapons of discretion.
8 The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
The wisdom of the prudent will understand their ways; but the folly of fools leads astray.
9 Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright—a pleasing thing.
The houses of transgressors will need purification; but the houses of the just are acceptable.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not interfere with its joy.
[If] a man's mind is intelligent, his soul is sorrowful; and when he rejoices, he has no fellowship with pride.
11 The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourishes.
The houses of ungodly men shall be utterly destroyed; but the tabernacles of them that walk uprightly shall stand.
12 There is a way—right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
There is a way which seems to be right with men, but the ends of it reach to the depths of hell. (questioned)
13 Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
Grief mingles not with mirth; and joy in the end comes to grief.
14 The backslider in heart is filled from his ways, And a good man—from his fruits.
A stout-hearted [man] shall be filled with his own ways; and a good man with his own thoughts.
15 The simple gives credence to everything, And the prudent attends to his step.
The simple believes every word: but the prudent man betakes himself to afterthought.
16 The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
A wise man fears, and departs from evil; but the fool trusts in himself, and joins himself with the transgressor.
17 Whoever is short of temper does folly, And a man of wicked schemes is hated.
A passionate man acts inconsiderately; but a sensible man bears up under many things.
18 The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
Fools shall have mischief for their portion; but the prudent shall take fast hold of understanding.
19 The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
Evil men shall fall before the good; and the ungodly shall attend at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is hated even of his neighbor, And those loving the rich [are] many.
Friends will hate poor friends; but the friends of the rich are many.
21 Whoever is despising his neighbor sins, Whoever is favoring the humble, O his blessedness.
He that dishonors the needy sins: but he that has pity on the poor is most blessed.
22 Do they who are devising evil not err? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
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.
23 In all labor there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
With every one [who is] careful there is abundance: but the pleasure-taking and indolent shall be in lack.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
A prudent man is the crown of the wise: but the occupation of fools is evil.
25 A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breathes out lies.
A faithful witness shall deliver a soul from evil: but a deceitful [man] kindles falsehoods.
26 Strong confidence [is] in the fear of YHWH, And there is a refuge to His sons.
In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and he leaves his children a support.
27 The fear of YHWH [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
The commandment of the Lord is a fountain of life; and it causes [men] to turn aside from the snare 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 a populous nation is the glory of a king: but in the failure of people is the ruin of a prince.
29 Whoever is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoever is short in temper is exalting folly.
A man slow to wrath abounds in wisdom: but a man of impatient spirit is very foolish.
30 A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
A meek-spirited man is a healer of the heart: but a sensitive heart is a corruption of the bones.
31 An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker, And whoever is honoring Him Is favoring the needy.
He that oppresses the needy provokes his Maker: but he that honors him has pity upon the poor.
32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, And the righteous [is] trustful in his death.
The ungodly shall be driven away in his wickedness: but he who is secure in his own holiness is just.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of the intelligent. And it is known in the midst of fools.
There is wisdom in the good heart of a man: but in the heart of fools it is not discerned.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, And the righteousness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
Righteousness exalts a nation: but sins diminish tribes.
35 The favor of a king [is] to a wise servant, And one causing shame is an object of his wrath!
An understanding servant is acceptable to a king; and by his good behavior he removes disgrace.
