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14 Every wise woman builds her house,
    but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
    but he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride,
    but the lips of the wise will preserve them.

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean;
    but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

A faithful witness will not lie,
    but a false witness will utter lies.

A scorner seeks wisdom and does not find it,
    but knowledge is easy to him who understands.

Go from the presence of a foolish man,
    when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.

The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceit.

Fools make a mock at sin,
    but among the righteous there is favor.

10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
    and a stranger does not share its joy.

11 The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.

12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way of death.

13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful,
    and the end of that cheer is grief.

14 The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways,
    but a good man will be satisfied with his.

15 The simple believes every word,
    but the prudent man considers his steps.

16 A wise man fears and departs from evil,
    but the fool rages and is self-confident.

17 He who is quick-tempered deals foolishly,
    and a man of wicked devices is hated.

18 The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19 The evil bow before the good,
    and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20 The poor is hated even by his own neighbor,
    but the rich has many friends.

21 He who despises his neighbor sins,
    but he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

22 Do they not err who devise evil?
    But mercy and truth will be to those who devise good.

23 In all labor there is profit,
    but mere talk leads only to poverty.

24 The crown of the wise is their riches,
    but the foolishness of fools is folly.

25 A true witness delivers souls,
    but a deceitful witness speaks lies.

26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence,
    and His children will have a place of refuge.

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
    to depart from the snares of death.

28 In the multitude of people is a king’s honor,
    but in the lack of people is the destruction of a prince.

29 He who is slow to wrath is of great understanding,
    but he who is hasty of spirit exalts folly.

30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh,
    but envy the rottenness of the bones.

31 He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker,
    but he who honors Him has mercy on the poor.

32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness,
    but the righteous has hope in his death.

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
    but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to any people.

35 The king’s favor is toward a wise servant,
    but his wrath is against him who causes shame.

A Way That Leads to Hell

14 Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home;
    Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick.

An honest life shows respect for God;
    a degenerate life is a slap in his face.

Frivolous talk provokes a derisive smile;
    wise speech evokes nothing but respect.

No cattle, no crops;
    a good harvest requires a strong ox for the plow.

A true witness never lies;
    a false witness makes a business of it.

Cynics look high and low for wisdom—and never find it;
    the open-minded find it right on their doorstep!

Escape quickly from the company of fools;
    they’re a waste of your time, a waste of your words.

The wisdom of the wise keeps life on track;
    the foolishness of fools lands them in the ditch.

The stupid ridicule right and wrong,
    but a moral life is a favored life.

10 The person who shuns the bitter moments of friends
    will be an outsider at their celebrations.

11 Lives of careless wrongdoing are run-down shacks;
    holy living builds soaring cathedrals.

12-13 There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough;
    look again—it leads straight to hell.
Sure, those people appear to be having a good time,
    but all that laughter will end in heartbreak.

Sift and Weigh Every Word

14 A mean person gets paid back in meanness,
    a gracious person in grace.

15 The gullible believe anything they’re told;
    the prudent sift and weigh every word.

16 The wise watch their steps and avoid evil;
    fools are headstrong and reckless.

17 The hotheaded do things they’ll later regret;
    the coldhearted get the cold shoulder.

18 Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion;
    wise realists plant their feet on the ground.

19 Eventually, evil will pay tribute to good;
    the wicked will respect God-loyal people.

20 An unlucky loser is shunned by all,
    but everyone loves a winner.

21 It’s criminal to ignore a neighbor in need,
    but compassion for the poor—what a blessing!

22 Isn’t it obvious that conspirators lose out,
    while the thoughtful win love and trust?

23 Hard work always pays off;
    mere talk puts no bread on the table.

24 The wise accumulate wisdom;
    fools get stupider by the day.

25 Souls are saved by truthful witness
    and betrayed by the spread of lies.

26 The Fear-of-God builds up confidence,
    and makes a world safe for your children.

27 The Fear-of-God is a spring of living water
    so you won’t go off drinking from poisoned wells.

28 The mark of a good leader is loyal followers;
    leadership is nothing without a following.

29 Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding;
    a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity.

30 A sound mind makes for a robust body,
    but runaway emotions corrode the bones.

31 You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless;
    when you’re kind to the poor, you honor God.

32 The evil of bad people leaves them out in the cold;
    the integrity of good people creates a safe place for living.

33 Lady Wisdom is at home in an understanding heart—
    fools never even get to say hello.

34 God-devotion makes a country strong;
    God-avoidance leaves people weak.

35 Diligent work gets a warm commendation;
    shiftless work earns an angry rebuke.