< Proverbs 14 >

1 Every wise woman has built her house, And the foolish breaks it down with her hands. 2 Whoever is walking in his uprightness is fearing YHWH, And the perverted is despising Him [in] his ways. 3 A rod of pride [is] in the mouth of a fool, And the lips of the wise preserve them. 4 Without oxen a stall [is] clean, And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox. 5 A faithful witness does not lie, And a false witness breathes out lies. 6 A scorner has sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge [is] easy to the intelligent. 7 Go from before a foolish man, Or you have not known the lips of knowledge. 8 The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way, And the folly of fools [is] deceit. 9 Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright—a pleasing thing. 10 The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not interfere with its joy. 11 The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourishes. 12 There is a way—right before a man, And its latter end [are] ways of death. 13 Even in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy [is] affliction. 14 The backslider in heart is filled from his ways, And a good man—from his fruits. 15 The simple gives credence to everything, And the prudent attends to his step. 16 The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident. 17 Whoever is short of temper does folly, And a man of wicked schemes is hated. 18 The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge. 19 The evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 20 The poor is hated even of his neighbor, And those loving the rich [are] many. 21 Whoever is despising his neighbor sins, Whoever is favoring the humble, O his blessedness. 22 Do they who are devising evil not err? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good, 23 In all labor there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want. 24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools [is] folly. 25 A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breathes out lies. 26 Strong confidence [is] in the fear of YHWH, And there is a refuge to His sons. 27 The fear of YHWH [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death. 28 The honor of a king [is] in the multitude of a people, And the ruin of a prince in lack of people. 29 Whoever is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoever is short in temper is exalting folly. 30 A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy. 31 An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker, And whoever is honoring Him Is favoring the needy. 32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, And the righteous [is] trustful in his death. 33 Wisdom rests in the heart of the intelligent. And it is known in the midst of fools. 34 Righteousness exalts a nation, And the righteousness of peoples [is] a sin-offering. 35 The favor of a king [is] to a wise servant, And one causing shame is an object of his wrath!

< Proverbs 14 >