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 foolish plucks 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 walks in his uprightness fears the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despises 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 will utter lies.
6 A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent [is] easy.
A scorner seeks wisdom, and finds it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understands.
7 Go from before a foolish man, Or thou hast not known the lips of knowledge.
Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you perceive not in him 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 understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright — a pleasing thing.
Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.
10 The heart knoweth its own bitterness, And with its joy a stranger doth not intermeddle.
The heart knows his own bitterness; and a stranger does not intermeddle with his joy.
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 tabernacle 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 seems 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 is sorrowful; and the end of that delight is heaviness.
14 From his ways is the backslider in heart filled, And a good man — from his fruits.
The backslider in heart shall be filled with 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 simple believes every word: but the prudent man looks well to his going.
16 The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
A wise man fears, and departs from evil: but the fool rages, and is confident.
17 Whoso is short of temper doth folly, And a man of wicked devices is hated.
He that is soon angry deals foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
18 The simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned [with] knowledge.
The simple inherit 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 has many friends.
21 Whoso is despising his neighbour sinneth, Whoso is favouring the humble, O his happiness.
He that despises his neighbour sins: but he that has mercy on the poor, happy is he.
22 Do not they err who are devising evil? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
Do they not go astray that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to 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 tends only to destitution.
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 foolishness of fools is folly.
25 A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breatheth out lies.
A true witness delivers souls: but a deceitful witness speaks lies.
26 In the fear of Jehovah [is] strong confidence, And to His sons there is a refuge.
In the fear of the LORD is 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 honour: but in the lack of people is the destruction 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 wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly.
30 A healed heart [is] life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones [is] envy.
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy 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 oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker: but he that honors him has mercy on the poor.
32 In his wickedness is the wicked driven away, And trustful in his death [is] the righteous.
The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous has hope in his death.
33 In the heart of the intelligent wisdom doth rest. And in the midst of fools it is known.
Wisdom rests in the heart of him that has understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation, And the goodliness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
Righteousness exalts 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 wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causes shame.
