Proverbs 14
1 Every wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down.
Every wise woman builds her house, but the stupid woman tears it down with her own hands.
2 Whoso is walking in his uprightness is fearing Jehovah, And the perverted [in] his ways is despising Him.
Those who live right respect the Lord, but those who live dishonestly despise him.
3 In the mouth of a fool [is] a rod of pride, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
What stupid people say punishes their pride, but what wise people say will protect them.
4 Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
Without oxen, the manger is empty, but a good harvest comes through the ox's strength.
5 A faithful witness lieth not, And a false witness breatheth out lies.
A trustworthy witness doesn't lie, but a false witness is deceptive.
6 A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent [is] easy.
It's pointless for a scoffer to look for wisdom, but knowledge comes easily to someone who understands.
7 Go from before a foolish man, Or thou hast not known the lips of knowledge.
Stay away from stupid people—you won't learn anything from them.
8 The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
Sensible people use their wisdom to decide where they're going, but the foolishness of stupid people is treacherous.
9 Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright — a pleasing thing.
Stupid people laugh at sin, but good people want forgiveness.
10 The heart knoweth its own bitterness, And with its joy a stranger doth not intermeddle.
The individual's mind alone knows its sadnesses, and no one else can share its happiness.
11 The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourisheth.
The house of wicked people will be destroyed, but the tent of good people will prosper.
12 There is a way — right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
There's a way that seems to be right, but in the end it's the way of death.
13 Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
Even when you're laughing you can be feeling sad—joy can end in grief.
14 From his ways is the backslider in heart filled, And a good man — from his fruits.
Disloyal people are repaid for what they do, and good people are rewarded.
15 The simple giveth credence to everything, And the prudent attendeth to his step.
Stupid people believe whatever they're told, but sensible people think about what they're doing.
16 The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
Wise people are careful and avoid evil, but stupid people are confidently reckless.
17 Whoso is short of temper doth folly, And a man of wicked devices is hated.
Quick-tempered people act foolishly, while people who make evil plans are hated.
18 The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
The inheritance of stupid people is stupidity, but sensible people are rewarded with knowledge.
19 The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
Evil people bow down before good people, and the wicked bow down at the doors of those who do right.
20 Even of his neighbour is the poor hated, And those loving the rich [are] many.
The poor are hated even by their neighbors, while the rich have many friends.
21 Whoso is despising his neighbour sinneth, Whoso is favouring the humble, O his happiness.
People who look down on their neighbors are sinners, but those who are kind to the poor are blessed.
22 Do not they err who are devising evil? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
Aren't people who plan to do evil wrong? But those who plan to do good have trustworthy love and faithfulness.
23 In all labour there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
There's profit in hard work, but chatting just leads to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
The wise are rewarded with wealth, but stupid people are rewarded with stupidity.
25 A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breatheth out lies.
A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is treacherous.
26 In the fear of Jehovah [is] strong confidence, And to His sons there is a refuge.
People who honor the Lord are completely safe; he will protect their children.
27 The fear of Jehovah [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
Respecting the Lord is like a fountain of life, so you can avoid the snares of death.
28 In the multitude of a people [is] the honour of a king, And in lack of people the ruin of a prince.
The glory of a king is the number of his subjects, for a ruler is nothing without them.
29 Whoso is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoso is short in temper is exalting folly.
If you're slow to get angry, you're very wise; but if you have a short fuse you glorify stupidity.
30 A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
A peaceful mind makes your body healthy, but jealousy makes your bones rot.
31 An oppressor of the poor reproacheth his Maker, And whoso is honouring Him Is favouring the needy.
Anyone who oppresses the poor insults their Maker, but anyone who is kind to the needy honors him.
32 In his wickedness is the wicked driven away, And trustful in his death [is] the righteous.
Wicked people are brought down by their own evil actions, but those who live right are confident even in death.
33 In the heart of the intelligent wisdom doth rest. And in the midst of fools it is known.
Wisdom is at home in a mind that understands, but it's not found among stupid people.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation, And the goodliness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
Doing right makes a nation successful, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
35 The favour of a king [is] to a wise servant, And an object of his wrath is one causing shame!
A servant who acts wisely is appreciated by the king, but he gets angry with a servant who acts disgracefully.
