Proverbs 14
1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth 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 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve 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 faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness uttereth lies.
A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.
6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and [findeth it] not: but knowledge is easy unto him that hath understanding.
The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man.
7 Go into the presence of a foolish man, and thou shalt not perceive [in him] the lips of knowledge.
Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see 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 man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.
9 The foolish make a mock at guilt: 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 knoweth its own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy.
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 shall be overthrown: but the tent of the upright shall 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 seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of 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 is sorrowful; and the end of mirth is heaviness.
Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.
14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man [shall be satisfied] from himself.
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 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool beareth himself insolently, and is confident.
The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.
17 He that is soon angry will deal foolishly: and a man of wicked devices 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 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 is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
The poor man is hated even by his neighbour, but the man of wealth has numbers of friends.
21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath pity on the poor, happy is he.
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 err that devise evil? but mercy and truth [shall be to] them that devise good.
Will not the designers of evil come into error? But mercy and good faith are for the designers of good.
23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to penury.
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 is [only] folly.
Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.
25 A true witness delivereth souls: but he that uttereth lies [causeth] deceit.
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 strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
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, to depart 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 want 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 that is slow to anger is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth 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 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy is the rottenness of the bones.
A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.
31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that hath mercy on the needy honoureth 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 thrust down in his evil-doing: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the upright man has hope in his righteousness.
33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but [that which is] in the inward part of fools is made known.
Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.
35 The king’s favour is toward a servant that dealeth wisely: but his wrath shall be [against] him that causeth shame.
The king has pleasure in a servant who does wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.
