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14 The wisest of women[a] builds her house,
    but the foolish tears it down with her hands.
He who walks in uprightness fears Yahweh,
    but he who is devious in his ways displeases him.
In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride,
    but the lips of the wise preserve them.
When there are no[b] oxen the manger is empty,
    but an abundance of crops comes by the strength of an ox.[c]
A faithful witness does not lie,
    but he who breathes out falsehood is a witness of deceit.
A scoffer seeks wisdom, but there is none,
    but knowledge comes easily to him who understands.[d]
Leave the presence of a foolish man,[e]
    for you will not come to know words of knowledge.[f]
The wisdom of the clever is understanding his ways,
    but the folly of fools is deceit.
Fools mock[g] the guilt offering,
    but among the upright, it is favorable.
10 The heart[h] knows the bitterness of its soul,[i]
    but in its joy, it will not share itself with a stranger.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems upright to[j] a man,
    but its end is the way of death.
13 Even in laughter, a heart may be sad,
    and the end of joy may be grief.
14 From his ways, the perverse of heart will be satisfied,
    and from his own,[k] so shall a good man.
15 The simple will believe every word,
    but the clever will consider his step.
16 The wise is cautious and turns from evil,
    but the fool throws off restraint and is confident.
17 He who is short of temper[l] will act foolishly,
    and the man who schemes will be hated.
18 The simple are adorned with folly,
    but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good,
    and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
    but the lovers of the rich are many.
21 He who despises his neighbor is a sinner,
    but he who has mercy on the poor blesses him.
22 Have they not erred, those who plan evil?
    But loyalty and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.
23 In all toil, there is profit,
    but the talk[m] of lips leads only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth;
    the folly of fools is folly.
25 He who saves lives[n] is a witness of truth,
    but he who utters lies is a betrayer.
26 In the fear of Yahweh, there is confidence of strength,
    and for his children, there will be refuge.
27 The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life,
    in order to turn from the snares of death.
28 In the multitude of people is the glory of the king,
    but without a population, a prince is ruined.
29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but the hasty of spirit[o] exalts folly.
30 A heart[p] of tranquility[q] is life to the flesh,
    but causes bones of passion to rot.
31 He who oppresses the poor insults him who made him,
    but he who has mercy on the poor honors him.
32 By his evildoing, the wicked will be overthrown,
    and the righteous will find refuge in his death.
33 In the heart[r] of him who has understanding, wisdom rests,
    but even in the midst of fools it becomes known.
34 Righteousness will exalt a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to a people.
35 The favor of a king is for the servant who deals wisely,
    but his wrath will be on him who acts shamefully.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:1 Literally “wise ones of women”
  2. Proverbs 14:4 Literally “In there is no”
  3. Proverbs 14:4 Hebrew “bull”
  4. Proverbs 14:6 Literally “to one who understands it comes easy”
  5. Proverbs 14:7 Literally “from the presence belonging to a man of foolishness”
  6. Proverbs 14:7 Literally “lips of knowledge”
  7. Proverbs 14:9 Hebrew “he mocks”
  8. Proverbs 14:10 Or “mind”
  9. Proverbs 14:10 Or “life,” or “inner self”
  10. Proverbs 14:12 Literally “to the face of”
  11. Proverbs 14:14 Literally “from upon him”
  12. Proverbs 14:17 Literally “nostril”
  13. Proverbs 14:23 Literally “word, matter, thing”
  14. Proverbs 14:25 Or “souls,” or “inner selves”
  15. Proverbs 14:29 Or “breath”
  16. Proverbs 14:30 Or “mind”
  17. Proverbs 14:30 Or “he who heals”
  18. Proverbs 14:33 Or “mind”

14 (A)The wisest of women (B)builds her house,
    but folly with her own hands (C)tears it down.
Whoever (D)walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
    but he who is (E)devious in his ways despises him.
By the mouth of a fool comes (F)a rod for his back,[a]
    (G)but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
    but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
(H)A faithful witness does not lie,
    but (I)a false witness breathes out lies.
(J)A scoffer seeks wisdom (K)in vain,
    but (L)knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceiving.
(M)Fools mock at the guilt offering,
    but the upright enjoy acceptance.[b]
10 The heart knows its own (N)bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
11 (O)The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 (P)There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but (Q)its end is the way to death.[c]
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
    and (R)the end of joy may be (S)grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be (T)filled with the fruit of his ways,
    and (U)a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15 (V)The simple believes everything,
    but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
16 (W)One who is wise is cautious[d] and (X)turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and careless.
17 A man of (Y)quick temper acts foolishly,
    and a man of evil devices is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 (Z)The evil bow down before the good,
    the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 (AA)The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
    (AB)but the rich has many friends.
21 Whoever (AC)despises his neighbor is a sinner,
    but (AD)blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
22 Do they not go astray who (AE)devise evil?
    Those who devise good meet[e] (AF)steadfast love and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk (AG)tends only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the folly of fools brings folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
    but one who (AH)breathes out lies is deceitful.
26 In the fear of the Lord one has (AI)strong confidence,
    and (AJ)his children will have (AK)a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is (AL)a fountain of life,
    that one may (AM)turn away from the snares of death.
28 In (AN)a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
    but without people a prince is ruined.
29 Whoever is (AO)slow to anger has great understanding,
    but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30 A tranquil[f] heart gives (AP)life to the flesh,
    but (AQ)envy[g] makes (AR)the bones rot.
31 Whoever oppresses a poor man (AS)insults his (AT)Maker,
    (AU)but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
32 (AV)The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
    but (AW)the righteous finds refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom (AX)rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
    but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.[h]
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 A servant who deals wisely has (AY)the king's favor,
    but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:3 Or In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride
  2. Proverbs 14:9 Hebrew but among the upright is acceptance
  3. Proverbs 14:12 Hebrew ways of death
  4. Proverbs 14:16 Or fears [the Lord]
  5. Proverbs 14:22 Or show
  6. Proverbs 14:30 Or healing
  7. Proverbs 14:30 Or jealousy
  8. Proverbs 14:33 Or Wisdom rests quietly in the heart of a man of understanding, but makes itself known in the midst of fools