Proverbs 14
1 Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Every wise woman has built her house, And the foolish breaks 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.
Whoever is walking in his uprightness is fearing YHWH, And the perverted is despising Him [in] his ways.
3 The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.
A rod of pride [is] in the mouth of a fool, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
5 A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.
A faithful witness does not lie, And a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn’t find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.
A scorner has sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge [is] easy to the intelligent.
7 Stay away from a foolish man, for you won’t 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 is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.
The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
9 Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but amongst the upright there is good will.
Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright—a pleasing thing.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.
The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not interfere with its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourishes.
12 There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
There is a way—right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness.
Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
14 The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.
The backslider in heart is filled from his ways, And a good man—from his fruits.
15 A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.
The simple gives credence to everything, And the prudent attends to his step.
16 A wise man fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.
The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17 He who is quick to become angry will commit folly, and a crafty man is hated.
Whoever is short of temper does folly, And a man of wicked schemes is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbour, but the rich person has many friends.
The poor is hated even of his neighbor, And those loving the rich [are] many.
21 He who despises his neighbour sins, but he who has pity on the poor is blessed.
Whoever is despising his neighbor sins, Whoever is favoring the humble, O his blessedness.
22 Don’t they go astray who plot evil? But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.
Do they who are devising evil not err? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
23 In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.
In all labor there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools crowns them with folly.
The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
25 A truthful witness saves souls, but a false witness is deceitful.
A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breathes out lies.
26 In the fear of the LORD is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.
Strong confidence [is] in the fear of YHWH, And there is a refuge to His sons.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death.
The fear of YHWH [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares 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.
The honor of a king [is] in the multitude of a people, And the ruin of a prince in lack of people.
29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.
Whoever is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoever is short in temper is exalting folly.
30 The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy rots the bones.
A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honours him.
An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker, And whoever is honoring Him Is favoring the needy.
32 The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.
The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, And the righteous [is] trustful in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, and is even made known in the inward part of fools.
Wisdom rests in the heart of the intelligent. And it is known in the midst of fools.
34 Righteousness 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 king’s favour is towards a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath is towards one who causes shame.
The favor of a king [is] to a wise servant, And one causing shame is an object of his wrath!
