14 智慧的女子建立家園,
    愚昧的女子親手拆毀。
行為正直的人敬畏耶和華,
    行事邪僻的人輕視耶和華。
愚人的狂言招來鞭打,
    智者的唇舌保護自己。
沒有耕牛槽頭淨,
    五穀豐登需壯牛。
忠實的證人不會撒謊,
    虛假的證人謊話連篇。
嘲諷者徒然尋智慧,
    明哲人輕易得知識。
你要遠離愚昧人,
    他口中毫無知識。
明哲憑智慧辨道,
    愚人被愚昧欺騙。
愚妄人戲看罪惡,
    正直人彼此恩待。
10 心頭的愁苦,唯有自己明白;
    心中的喜樂,外人無法分享。
11 惡人的房屋必遭毀滅,
    正直人的帳篷必興盛。
12 有的路看似正確,
    最終卻通向死亡。
13 歡笑難消內心的痛苦,
    歡樂過後,悲傷猶在。
14 背棄正道,自食惡果;
    善人行善,必得善報。
15 愚昧人什麼都信,
    明哲人步步謹慎。
16 智者小心謹慎,遠離惡事;
    愚人驕傲自負,行事魯莽。
17 急躁易怒的人做事愚昧,
    陰險奸詐之人遭人痛恨。
18 愚昧人得愚昧作產業,
    明哲人得知識為冠冕。
19 壞人俯伏在善人面前,
    惡人俯伏在義人門口。
20 窮人遭鄰舍厭,
    富人朋友眾多。
21 藐視鄰舍是罪過,
    憐憫窮人蒙福樂。
22 圖謀惡事的步入歧途,
    行善的受愛戴和擁護。
23 殷勤工作,帶來益處;
    滿嘴空談,導致貧窮。
24 智者以財富為冠冕,
    愚人以愚昧為裝飾。
25 誠實的證人挽救性命,
    口吐謊言者欺騙他人。
26 敬畏耶和華的信心堅定,
    他的子孫也有庇護所。
27 敬畏耶和華是生命的泉源,
    可以使人避開死亡的陷阱。
28 人民眾多,是君王的榮耀;
    沒有臣民,君主必然敗亡。
29 不輕易發怒者深明事理,
    魯莽急躁的人顯出愚昧。
30 心平氣和,滋潤生命;
    妒火中燒,啃蝕骨頭。
31 欺壓窮人等於侮辱造物主,
    憐憫貧弱就是尊敬造物主。
32 惡人因惡行而滅亡,
    義人到死仍有倚靠。
33 智慧存在哲士心裡,
    愚人心中充滿無知。
34 公義能叫邦國興盛,
    罪惡是人民的恥辱。
35 明智的臣子蒙王喜悅,
    可恥的僕人惹王發怒。

14 A wise woman strengthens her family,
    but a foolish woman destroys hers by what she does.

People who live good lives respect the Lord,
    but those who live evil lives don’t.

Fools will be punished for their proud words,
    but the words of the wise will protect them.

When there are no oxen, no food is in the barn.
    But with a strong ox, much grain can be grown.

A truthful witness does not lie,
    but a false witness tells nothing but lies.

Those who make fun of wisdom look for it and do not find it,
    but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding.

Stay away from fools,
    because they can’t teach you anything.

A wise person will understand what to do,
    but a foolish person is dishonest.

Fools don’t care if they sin,
    but honest people work at being right.

10 No one else can know your sadness,
    and strangers cannot share your joy.

11 The wicked person’s house will be destroyed,
    but a good person’s tent will still be standing.

12 Some people think they are doing right,
    but in the end it leads to death.

13 Someone who is laughing may be sad inside,
    and joy may end in sadness.

14 Evil people will be paid back for their evil ways,
    and good people will be rewarded for their good ones.

15 Fools will believe anything,
    but the wise think about what they do.

16 Wise people are careful and stay out of trouble,
    but fools are careless and quick to act.

17 Someone with a quick temper does foolish things,
    but someone with understanding remains calm.

18 Fools are rewarded with nothing but more foolishness,
    but the wise are rewarded with knowledge.

19 Evil people will bow down to those who are good;
    the wicked will bow down at the door of those who do right.

20 The poor are rejected, even by their neighbors,
    but the rich have many friends.

21 It is a sin to hate your neighbor,
    but being kind to the needy brings happiness.

22 Those who make evil plans will be ruined,
    but those who plan to do good will be loved and trusted.

23 Those who work hard make a profit,
    but those who only talk will be poor.

24 Wise people are rewarded with wealth,
    but fools only get more foolishness.

25 A truthful witness saves lives,
    but a false witness is a traitor.

26 Those who respect the Lord will have security,
    and their children will be protected.

27 Respect for the Lord gives life.
    It is like a fountain that can save people from death.

28 A king is honored when he has many people to rule,
    but a prince is ruined if he has none.

29 Patient people have great understanding,
    but people with quick tempers show their foolishness.

30 Peace of mind means a healthy body,
    but jealousy will rot your bones.

31 Whoever mistreats the poor insults their Maker,
    but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

32 The wicked are ruined by their own evil,
    but those who do right are protected even in death.

33 Wisdom lives in those with understanding,
    and even fools recognize it.

34 Doing what is right makes a nation great,
    but sin will bring disgrace to any people.

35 A king is pleased with a wise servant,
    but he will become angry with one who causes him shame.

The Ways of Life and Death

14 The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
(A)But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.

In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,
(B)But the lips of the wise will preserve them.

Where no oxen are, the [a]trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.

A (C)faithful witness does not lie,
But a false witness will utter (D)lies.

A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But (E)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 (F)knowledge.
The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit.

(G)Fools mock at [b]sin,
But among the upright there is favor.

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

11 (H)The house of the wicked will be overthrown,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.

12 (I)There is a way that seems right to a man,
But (J)its end is the way of (K)death.

13 Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
And (L)the end of mirth may be grief.

14 The backslider in heart will be (M)filled with his own ways,
But a good man will be satisfied [c]from (N)above.

15 The simple believes every word,
But the prudent considers well his steps.
16 (O)A wise man fears and departs from evil,
But a fool rages and is self-confident.
17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of wicked intentions is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil will bow before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20 (P)The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor,
But [d]the rich has many (Q)friends.
21 He who despises his neighbor sins;
(R)But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

22 Do they not go astray who devise evil?
But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.

23 In all labor there is profit,
But [e]idle chatter leads only to poverty.

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

25 A true witness [f]delivers (S)souls,
But a deceitful witness speaks lies.

26 In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
27 (T)The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.

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

29 (U)He who is slow to wrath has great understanding,
But he who is [g]impulsive exalts folly.

30 A sound heart is life to the body,
But (V)envy is (W)rottenness to the bones.

31 (X)He who oppresses the poor reproaches (Y)his Maker,
But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.

32 The wicked is banished in his wickedness,
But (Z)the righteous has a refuge in his death.

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But (AA)what is in the heart of fools is made known.

34 Righteousness exalts a (AB)nation,
But sin is a [h]reproach to any people.

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

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:4 manger or feed trough
  2. Proverbs 14:9 Lit. guilt
  3. Proverbs 14:14 Lit. from above himself
  4. Proverbs 14:20 Lit. many are the lovers of the rich
  5. Proverbs 14:23 Lit. talk of the lips
  6. Proverbs 14:25 saves lives
  7. Proverbs 14:29 Lit. short of spirit
  8. Proverbs 14:34 shame or disgrace

14 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall 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 seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.

Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not 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 favour.

10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.

11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

17 He that is soon angry dealeth 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 of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.

21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

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

25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall 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 the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

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

31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

35 The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.