Proverbs 14
1 Wise women [PRS] hold their families together [by the wise things that they do], but foolish women ruin their families by the foolish things that they do.
Every wise woman has built her house, And the foolish breaks it down with her hands.
2 By [continually] behaving/acting righteously, [people show that they] greatly revere Yahweh; those who (walk on crooked paths/always deceive others) [show that they] despise him.
Whoever is walking in his uprightness is fearing YHWH, And the perverted is despising Him [in] his ways.
3 Foolish people will be punished [MTY] for what they say, but wise [people] will be protected by what they say [MTY].
A rod of pride [is] in the mouth of a fool, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 If [a man has] no oxen [to plow his field], he does not [need to put] grain [in their feedbox], but if [he has] oxen, they will enable [him to produce] an abundant crop.
Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
5 Witnesses who are reliable [always] say what (is true/really happened), but witnesses who are not reliable constantly tell lies [about what happened].
A faithful witness does not lie, And a false witness breathes out lies.
6 Those who make fun [of being wise] will never become wise, but those who understand [what is right] learn things easily.
A scorner has sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge [is] easy to the intelligent.
7 Stay away from foolish people, because they will not be able to teach you anything [useful].
Go from before a foolish man, Or you have not known the lips of knowledge.
8 Those who have good sense are wise, so they know what they should do [and what they should not do]; foolish people do not know what is right to do, but because they think that they do, they are deceiving themselves.
The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
9 Foolish people make fun of their committing sins; but God is pleased with those who do what is right.
Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright—a pleasing thing.
10 If you are very sad or if you are joyful, only you know what you are experiencing; no one else [can] know what you are feeling.
The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not interfere with its joy.
11 Houses built by wicked [people] will be destroyed, but houses built by good/righteous [people] will last for a long time.
The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourishes.
12 There are some kinds of behavior [MET] that [some] people [falsely] think are right, but (walking on those roads/continually doing those things) causes [those people] to die.
There is a way—right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
13 [Sometimes] when people laugh, they are [really] sad, and when they stop laughing, they are still sad.
Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
14 Those who stubbornly continue to do what is wrong will get what they deserve, and those who continually do what is good will [also] get what they deserve.
The backslider in heart is filled from his ways, And a good man—from his fruits.
15 Foolish people believe everything [that people tell them]; those who have good sense think carefully about what will be the result of their actions.
The simple gives credence to everything, And the prudent attends to his step.
16 Wise people are careful and avoid [doing things that will give them] trouble; foolish people are careless and act (too quickly/without thinking).
The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17 Those who quickly become angry [IDM] do foolish things; [people] hate those who plan to do wicked things (OR, those who have good sense remain calm/patient).
Whoever is short of temper does folly, And a man of wicked schemes is hated.
18 Foolish people get what they deserve for doing foolish things; those with good sense are rewarded [MET] by being able to learn a lot.
The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
19 [Some day] evil [people] will bow down in front of righteous [people to show that they respect them]; they [will humbly stand] at the gates of [the houses of] righteous [people and request their help].
The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 [No one likes] poor [people]; even their friends/neighbors do not like them; rich [people] have many friends, but [only while the rich people still have money].
The poor is hated even of his neighbor, And those loving the rich [are] many.
21 It is sinful to despise your [poor] neighbors; [God] is pleased with those who do kind things for the poor.
Whoever is despising his neighbor sins, Whoever is favoring the humble, O his blessedness.
22 Those who plan to do things that are evil/wrong are walking on the wrong road; people faithfully love, respect and are loyal to those who plan to do what is good.
Do they who are devising evil not err? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
23 If you work hard, you will (accomplish something good/get a good income), but if all you do is to talk [and not work], you will remain poor.
In all labor there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
24 One of the rewards [MET] of being wise is to become rich; the reward of acting foolishly is to become more foolish.
The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
25 By saying [in court] what is true, you [can] save the life [of the one who is being falsely accused]; if you tell lies, you are abandoning someone who needs your help [to defend him].
A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breathes out lies.
26 Those who revere Yahweh are confident [that he will protect them], and their family will [also] be protected.
Strong confidence [is] in the fear of YHWH, And there is a refuge to His sons.
27 Having an awesome respect for Yahweh is [like] [MET] [having] a fountain that gives life; it will help you to escape when something dangerous is threatening to kill you [MET].
The fear of YHWH [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
28 If a king rules over many people, many people will [be able to] honor him; if he has only a few people in his kingdom, he will have very little [HYP] power.
The honor of a king [is] in the multitude of a people, And the ruin of a prince in lack of people.
29 Those who do not quickly become angry are very wise; by quickly becoming angry, people show that they are foolish.
Whoever is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoever is short in temper is exalting folly.
30 Having a mind that is peaceful results in having a healthy body; having a mind that is [often] in turmoil is [like] [MET] cancer in [a person’s] bones.
A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
31 Those who oppress poor people are insulting God, the one who made those poor people, but acting kindly toward them is respecting God.
An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker, And whoever is honoring Him Is favoring the needy.
32 Wicked [people] ruin themselves by the evil things that they do, but righteous/good [people] are kept safe/protected even when they die (OR, because of their continually doing what is right).
The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, And the righteous [is] trustful in his death.
33 Those who have good sense always think what is wise; foolish people do not know anything about being wise.
Wisdom rests in the heart of the intelligent. And it is known in the midst of fools.
34 [When] the people of a nation [continually act] righteously, it causes that nation to be great; [continually doing what is] evil causes a nation to be disgraced.
Righteousness exalts a nation, And the righteousness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
35 Kings are pleased with officials who do their work competently/skillfully, but they punish [MTY] those who [do their work in a manner that] causes the kings to be disgraced.
The favor of a king [is] to a wise servant, And one causing shame is an object of his wrath!
