Proverbs 14
Young's Literal Translation
14 Every wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down.
2 Whoso is walking in his uprightness is fearing Jehovah, And the perverted [in] his ways is despising Him.
3 In the mouth of a fool [is] a rod of pride, 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 lieth not, And a false witness breatheth out lies.
6 A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent [is] easy.
7 Go from before a foolish man, Or thou hast 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 knoweth its own bitterness, And with its joy a stranger doth not intermeddle.
11 The house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourisheth.
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 From his ways is the backslider in heart filled, And a good man -- from his fruits.
15 The simple giveth credence to everything, And the prudent attendeth to his step.
16 The wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17 Whoso is short of temper doth folly, And a man of wicked devices 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 Even of his neighbour is the poor hated, And those loving the rich [are] many.
21 Whoso is despising his neighbour sinneth, Whoso is favouring the humble, O his happiness.
22 Do not they err who are devising evil? And kindness and truth [are] to those devising good,
23 In all labour 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 breatheth out lies.
26 In the fear of Jehovah [is] strong confidence, And to His sons there is a refuge.
27 The fear of Jehovah [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from 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.
29 Whoso is slow to anger [is] of great understanding, And whoso 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 reproacheth his Maker, And whoso is honouring Him Is favouring the needy.
32 In his wickedness is the wicked driven away, And trustful in his death [is] the righteous.
33 In the heart of the intelligent wisdom doth rest. And in the midst of fools it is known.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation, And the goodliness of peoples [is] a sin-offering.
35 The favour of a king [is] to a wise servant, And an object of his wrath is one causing shame!
Proverbs 14
New American Standard Bible
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
14 The (A)wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
2 One who (B)walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
But one who is (C)devious in his ways despises Him.
3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back,
But (D)the lips of the wise will protect them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean;
But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.
5 A (E)trustworthy witness will not lie,
But a (F)false witness (G)declares lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
But knowledge is easy for one who has understanding.
7 Leave the (H)presence of a fool,
Or you will not [a]discern [b]words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,
But (I)the foolishness of fools is deceit.
9 Fools mock at [c]sin,
But (J)among the upright there is [d]goodwill.
10 The heart knows its own (K)bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
11 The (L)house of the wicked will be destroyed,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There (M)is a way which seems right to a person,
But its (N)end is the way of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the (O)end of joy may be grief.
14 One with a wayward heart will have his (P)fill of his own ways,
But a good person will (Q)be satisfied [e]with his.
15 The naive believes everything,
But the sensible person considers his steps.
16 A wise person [f]is cautious and (R)turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.
17 A quick-tempered person acts foolishly,
And a person of evil devices is hated.
18 The naive inherit foolishness,
But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.
19 The (S)evil will bow down before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The (T)poor is hated even by his neighbor,
But those who love the rich are many.
21 One who (U)despises his neighbor sins,
But (V)one who is gracious to the [g]poor is blessed.
22 Will they who (W)devise evil not go astray?
But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.
23 In all labor there is profit,
But [h]mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 The (X)crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is simply foolishness.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
But one who (Y)declares lies is [i]deceitful.
26 In [j](Z)the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And [k]his children will have refuge.
27 [l]The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
By which one may avoid the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is a king’s glory,
But in the scarcity of people is a prince’s ruin.
29 One who is (AA)slow to anger has great understanding;
But one who is [m]quick-tempered exalts foolishness.
30 A (AB)tranquil heart is life to the body,
But jealousy is (AC)rottenness to the bones.
31 One (AD)who oppresses the poor taunts (AE)his Maker,
But one who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
32 The wicked is (AF)thrust down by his own wrongdoing,
But the (AG)righteous has a refuge when he dies.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,
But among fools it is made known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.
35 The king’s favor is toward a (AH)servant who acts wisely,
But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:7 Lit know
- Proverbs 14:7 Lit lips
- Proverbs 14:9 Lit guilt
- Proverbs 14:9 Or the favor of God
- Proverbs 14:14 Lit from himself
- Proverbs 14:16 Lit fears
- Proverbs 14:21 Or afflicted
- Proverbs 14:23 Lit word of lips
- Proverbs 14:25 Lit a fraud
- Proverbs 14:26 Or reverence for
- Proverbs 14:26 Or His
- Proverbs 14:27 Or Reverence for
- Proverbs 14:29 Lit short of spirit
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
