< Proverbs 14 >
1 Every wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down.
Every wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
2 Whoso is walking in his uprightness is fearing Jehovah, And the perverted [in] his ways is despising Him.
He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD; but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth Him.
3 In the mouth of a fool [is] a rod of pride, And the lips of the wise preserve them.
In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
4 Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness lieth not, And a false witness breatheth out lies.
A faithful witness will not lie; but a false witness breatheth forth lies.
6 A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent [is] easy.
A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not; but knowledge is easy unto him that hath discernment.
7 Go from before a foolish man, Or thou hast not known the lips of knowledge.
Go from the presence of a foolish man, for thou wilt not perceive the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit.
The wisdom of the prudent is to look well to his way; but the folly of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright — a pleasing thing.
Amends pleadeth for fools; but among the upright there is good will.
10 The heart knoweth its own bitterness, And with its joy a stranger doth not intermeddle.
The heart knoweth its own bitterness; and with its joy no stranger can intermeddle.
11 The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourisheth.
The house of the wicked shall be overthrown; but the tent of the upright shall flourish.
12 There is a way — right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death.
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
13 Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction.
Even in laughter the heart acheth; and the end of mirth is heaviness.
14 From his ways is the backslider in heart filled, And a good man — from his fruits.
The dissembler in heart shall have his fill from his own ways; and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
15 The simple giveth credence to everything, And the prudent attendeth to his step.
The thoughtless believeth every word; but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
16 The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; but the fool behaveth overbearingly, and is confident.
17 Whoso is short of temper doth folly, And a man of wicked devices is hated.
He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly; and a man of wicked devices is hated.
18 The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
The thoughtless come into possession of folly; but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 Even of his neighbour is the poor hated, And those loving the rich [are] many.
The poor is hated even of his own neighbour; but the rich hath many friends.
21 Whoso is despising his neighbour sinneth, Whoso is favouring the humble, O his happiness.
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth; but he that is gracious unto the humble, happy is he.
22 Do not they err who are devising evil? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
Shall they not go astray that devise evil? But mercy and truth shall be for them that devise good.
23 In all labour there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.
In all labour there is profit; but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly.
The crown of the wise is their riches; but the folly of fools remaineth folly.
25 A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breatheth out lies.
A true witness delivereth souls; but he that breatheth forth lies is all deceit.
26 In the fear of Jehovah [is] strong confidence, And to His sons there is a refuge.
In the fear of the LORD a man hath strong confidence; and his children shall have a place of refuge.
27 The fear of Jehovah [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from 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.
In the multitude of people is the king's glory; but in the want of people is the ruin of the prince.
29 Whoso is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoso is short in temper is exalting folly.
He that is slow to anger is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
30 A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh; but envy is the rottenness of the bones.
31 An oppressor of the poor reproacheth his Maker, And whoso is honouring Him Is favouring the needy.
He that oppresseth the poor blasphemeth his Maker; but he that is gracious unto the needy honoureth Him.
32 In his wickedness is the wicked driven away, And trustful in his death [is] the righteous.
The wicked is thrust down in his misfortune; but the righteous, even when he is brought to death, hath hope.
33 In the heart of the intelligent wisdom doth rest. And in the midst of fools it is known.
In the heart of him that hath discernment wisdom resteth; but in the inward part of fools it maketh itself known.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation, And the goodliness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 The favour of a king [is] to a wise servant, And an object of his wrath is one causing shame!
The king's favour is toward a servant that dealeth wisely; but his wrath striketh him that dealeth shamefully.