Proverbs 14
1 The wise woman builds her house, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
Every wise woman has built her house, And the foolish breaks it down with her hands.
2 The one who walks uprightly fears Yahweh, but the one who is dishonest in his ways despises him.
Whoever is walking in his uprightness is fearing YHWH, And the perverted is despising Him [in] his ways.
3 From the mouth of a fool comes an offshoot of his pride, but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
A rod of pride [is] in the mouth of a fool, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Where there are no cattle the feeding trough is clean, but an abundant crop can come by the strength of an ox.
Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
A faithful witness does not lie, And a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and there is none, but knowledge comes easy to the one who is discerning.
A scorner has sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge [is] easy to the intelligent.
7 Walk away from a foolish person, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
Go from before a foolish man, Or you have not known the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent person is to understand his own way, but the folly of fools is deception.
The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
9 Fools mock when the guilt offering is sacrificed, but among the upright favor is shared.
Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright—a pleasing thing.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness and no stranger shares its joy.
The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not interfere with its joy.
11 The house of wicked people will be destroyed, but the tent of upright people will flourish.
The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourishes.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end only leads to death.
There is a way—right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
13 A heart can laugh but still be in pain and joy may end up being grief.
Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
14 The one who is not faithful will get what his ways deserve, but a good person will get what is his.
The backslider in heart is filled from his ways, And a good man—from his fruits.
15 The one who is naive believes everything, but the prudent man thinks about his steps.
The simple gives credence to everything, And the prudent attends to his step.
16 A wise man fears and turns away from evil, but the fool confidently dismisses a warning.
The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17 One who is quick to become angry does foolish things, and a person who makes evil schemes is hated.
Whoever is short of temper does folly, And a man of wicked schemes is hated.
18 The naive inherit foolishness, but prudent people are crowned with knowledge.
The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
19 Evil people will bow down before those who are good and those who are wicked will bow down at the gates of the righteous person.
The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor person is hated even by his own companions, but the rich people have many friends.
The poor is hated even of his neighbor, And those loving the rich [are] many.
21 The one who shows contempt for his neighbor is sinning, but the one who shows favor to the poor is blessed.
Whoever is despising his neighbor sins, Whoever is favoring the humble, O his blessedness.
22 Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan to do good will receive covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness.
Do they who are devising evil not err? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
23 With all hard work comes a profit, but when there is only talk, it leads to poverty.
In all labor there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
24 The crown of wise people is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings them only more folly.
The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness breathes out lies.
A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breathes out lies.
26 When someone fears Yahweh, he also has much confidence in him; these things will be like a strong place of protection for this man's children.
Strong confidence [is] in the fear of YHWH, And there is a refuge to His sons.
27 The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life, so that a person may turn away from the snares of death.
The fear of YHWH [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
28 The glory of a king is found in the great number of his people, but without people the prince is ruined.
The honor of a king [is] in the multitude of a people, And the ruin of a prince in lack of people.
29 A patient person has great understanding, but the quick-tempered person exalts folly.
Whoever is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoever is short in temper is exalting folly.
30 A tranquil heart is life for the body, but envy rots the bones.
A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
31 The one who oppresses the poor curses his Maker, but the one who shows favor to the needy honors him.
An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker, And whoever is honoring Him Is favoring the needy.
32 The wicked person is brought down by his evil actions, but the righteous person has a refuge even in death.
The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, And the righteous [is] trustful in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning, but even among fools she lets herself be known.
Wisdom rests in the heart of the intelligent. And it is known in the midst of fools.
34 Doing what is right exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
Righteousness exalts a nation, And the righteousness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
35 The favor of the king is with the servant who acts prudently, but his anger is for the one who acts shamefully.
The favor of a king [is] to a wise servant, And one causing shame is an object of his wrath!
