Proverbs 14
1 Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
2 He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.
He who goes on his way in righteousness has before him the fear of the Lord; but he whose ways are twisted gives him no honour.
3 The fool's talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.
In the mouth of the foolish man is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.
4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
Where there are no oxen, their food-place is clean; but much increase comes through the strength of the ox.
5 A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.
A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn't find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.
The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man.
7 Stay away from a foolish man, for you won't find knowledge on his lips.
Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.
The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.
9 Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but among the upright there is good will.
In the tents of those hating authority there is error, but in the house of the upright man there is grace.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.
No one has knowledge of a man's grief but himself; and a strange person has no part in his joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of the upright man will do well.
12 There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness.
Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.
14 The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.
He whose heart is turned away will have the reward of his ways in full measure; but a good man will have the reward of his doings.
15 A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.
The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but the fool is arrogant and reckless.
The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.
17 He who is quick to become angry will commit folly, and a crafty man is hated.
He who is quickly angry will do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet.
18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Foolish behaviour is the heritage of the simple, but men of good sense are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
The knees of the evil are bent before the good; and sinners go down in the dust at the doors of the upright.
20 The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbor, but the rich person has many friends.
The poor man is hated even by his neighbour, but the man of wealth has numbers of friends.
21 He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor.
He who has no respect for his neighbour is a sinner, but he who has pity for the poor is happy.
22 Do they not go astray who plot evil? But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.
Will not the designers of evil come into error? But mercy and good faith are for the designers of good.
23 In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.
In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools crowns them with folly.
Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.
25 A truthful witness saves souls, but a false witness is deceitful.
A true witness is the saviour of lives; but he who says false things is a cause of deceit.
26 In the fear of the LORD is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.
For him in whose heart is the fear of the Lord there is strong hope: and his children will have a safe place.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, by which one may be turned from the nets of death.
28 In the multitude of people is the king's glory, but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.
A king's glory is in the number of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction.
29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.
He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is over-quick gives support to what is foolish.
30 The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy rots the bones.
A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.
31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.
He who is hard on the poor puts shame on his Maker; but he who has mercy on those who are in need gives him honour.
32 The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but the righteous has a refuge in his death.
The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the upright man has hope in his righteousness.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, and is even made known in the inward part of fools.
Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.
35 The king's favor is toward a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath is toward one who causes shame.
The king has pleasure in a servant who does wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.
