Proverbs 14
1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but [he that is] perverse in his ways despiseth him.
He who goes on his way in righteousness has before him the fear of the Lord; but he whose ways are twisted gives him no honour.
3 In the mouth of the foolish [is] a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
In the mouth of the foolish man is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.
4 Where no oxen [are], the crib [is] clean: but much increase [is] by the strength of the ox.
Where there are no oxen, their food-place is clean; but much increase comes through the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.
A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.
6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and [findeth it] not: but knowledge [is] easy unto him that understandeth.
The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man.
7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not [in him] the lips of knowledge.
Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way: but the folly of fools [is] deceit.
The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.
9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous [there is] favour.
In the tents of those hating authority there is error, but in the house of the upright man there is grace.
10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.
No one has knowledge of a man's grief but himself; and a strange person has no part in his joy.
11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.
The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of the upright man will do well.
12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death.
There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth [is] heaviness.
Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.
14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man [shall be satisfied] from himself.
He whose heart is turned away will have the reward of his ways in full measure; but a good man will have the reward of his doings.
15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent [man] looketh well to his going.
The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
16 A wise [man] feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.
17 [He that is] soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
He who is quickly angry will do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet.
18 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Foolish behaviour is the heritage of the simple, but men of good sense are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
The knees of the evil are bent before the good; and sinners go down in the dust at the doors of the upright.
20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich [hath] many friends.
The poor man is hated even by his neighbour, but the man of wealth has numbers of friends.
21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy [is] he.
He who has no respect for his neighbour is a sinner, but he who has pity for the poor is happy.
22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth [shall be] to them that devise good.
Will not the designers of evil come into error? But mercy and good faith are for the designers of good.
23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to penury.
In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.
24 The crown of the wise [is] their riches: [but] the foolishness of fools [is] folly.
Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.
25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful [witness] speaketh lies.
A true witness is the saviour of lives; but he who says false things is a cause of deceit.
26 In the fear of the LORD [is] strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
For him in whose heart is the fear of the Lord there is strong hope: and his children will have a safe place.
27 The fear of the LORD [is] a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, by which one may be turned from the nets of death.
28 In the multitude of people [is] the king’s honour: but in the want of people [is] the destruction of the prince.
A king's glory is in the number of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction.
29 [He that is] slow to wrath [is] of great understanding: but [he that is] hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is over-quick gives support to what is foolish.
30 A sound heart [is] the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.
31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
He who is hard on the poor puts shame on his Maker; but he who has mercy on those who are in need gives him honour.
32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the upright man has hope in his righteousness.
33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but [that which is] in the midst of fools is made known.
Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin [is] a reproach to any people.
By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.
35 The king’s favour [is] toward a wise servant: but his wrath is [against] him that causeth shame.
The king has pleasure in a servant who does wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.
