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14 The [a](A)wise woman builds her house,
But the woman of folly tears it down with her own hands.
He who (B)walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh,
But he who is (C)devious in his ways despises Him.
In the mouth of the ignorant fool is a rod of lofty pride,
But (D)the lips of the wise will keep them.
Where no oxen are, the manger is clean,
But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.
A (E)faithful witness will not lie,
But a (F)false witness (G)breathes out lies.
A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.
Leave the (H)presence of a fool,
As you have not known lips of knowledge there.
The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But (I)the folly of fools is deceit.
Ignorant fools scoff at guilt,
But (J)among the upright there is favor.
10 The heart knows its own (K)bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its gladness.
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 man,
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 The one who turns back in his heart will be satisfied with his (P)ways,
But a good man will (Q)be satisfied [b]with his.
15 The simple believes everything,
But the prudent one discerns his steps.
16 A wise man fears and (R)turns away from evil,
But a fool gets angry and feels secure.
17 A quick-tempered man acts in folly,
And a man of evil schemes is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are [c]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 He who (U)despises his neighbor sins,
But how (V)blessed is he who is gracious to the [d]poor.
22 Will they not wander in error who (W)devise evil?
But lovingkindness and truth will be to those who devise good.
23 In all painful labor there is profit,
But mere words from the lips lead only to want.
24 The (X)crown of the wise is their riches,
But the folly of fools is folly.
25 A truthful witness delivers souls,
But he who (Y)breathes out lies is deceitful.
26 In the [e](Z)fear of Yahweh there is strong security,
And [f]his children will have refuge.
27 The [g]fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life,
To turn aside from the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is a king’s splendor,
But in the dearth of people is a prince’s ruin.
29 He who is (AA)slow to anger has great discernment,
But he who is [h]quick-tempered raises up folly.
30 A [i](AB)tranquil heart is life to the body,
But jealousy is (AC)rottenness to the bones.
31 He (AD)who oppresses the poor reproaches (AE)his Maker,
But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
32 The wicked is (AF)thrust down by his own evil,
But the (AG)righteous takes refuge even in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,
But in the midst of fools it is merely 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 insightfully,
But his fury is toward him who acts shamefully.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:1 Lit wise women
  2. Proverbs 14:14 Lit from himself
  3. Proverbs 14:18 Lit surrounded
  4. Proverbs 14:21 Or afflicted
  5. Proverbs 14:26 Or reverence
  6. Proverbs 14:26 Or His
  7. Proverbs 14:27 Or reverence
  8. Proverbs 14:29 Lit short of spirit
  9. Proverbs 14:30 Lit healing

14 Every wise woman buildeth her house;
But [a]the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
He that walketh in his uprightness feareth Jehovah;
But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his 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 [b]uttereth lies.
A scoffer seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not;
But knowledge is easy unto him that hath understanding.
[c]Go into the presence of a foolish man,
And thou shalt 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.
[d]A trespass-offering mocketh fools;
But among the upright there is [e]good will.
10 The heart knoweth its own bitterness;
And a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy.
11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown;
But the tent of the upright shall flourish.
12 There is a way which [f]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 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 beareth himself insolently, and is confident.
17 He that is soon angry will deal 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 down before the good;
And the wicked, at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbor;
But the rich hath many friends.
21 He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth;
But he that hath pity on the poor, happy is he.
22 [g]Do they not err that devise evil?
But mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.
23 In all labor there is profit;
But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
24 [h]The crown of the wise is their riches;
But the folly of fools is only folly.
25 A true witness delivereth souls;
But he that [i]uttereth lies causeth deceit.
26 In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence;
And [j]his children shall have a place of refuge.
27 The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life,
That one may depart from the snares of death.
28 In the multitude of people is the king’s glory;
But in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
29 He that is slow to anger is of great understanding;
But he that is hasty of spirit [k]exalteth folly.
30 A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh;
But [l]envy is the rottenness of the bones.
31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker;
But he that hath mercy on the needy honoreth him.
32 The wicked is thrust down in his [m]evil-doing;
But the righteous hath a refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding;
[n]But that which is in the inward part of fools is made known.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation;
But sin is a reproach to [o]any people.
35 The king’s favor is toward a servant that dealeth wisely;
But his wrath will be against him that [p]causeth shame.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:1 Hebrew folly.
  2. Proverbs 14:5 Hebrew breatheth out.
  3. Proverbs 14:7 Or, Go from . . . For thou wilt not etc.
  4. Proverbs 14:9 Or, Fools make a mock at sin
  5. Proverbs 14:9 Or, the favor of God
  6. Proverbs 14:12 Or, is straight before
  7. Proverbs 14:22 Or, Shall they not go astray
  8. Proverbs 14:24 Or, Their riches is a crown unto the wise
  9. Proverbs 14:25 Hebrew breatheth out.
  10. Proverbs 14:26 Or, the children of him that hath it
  11. Proverbs 14:29 Or, carrieth away
  12. Proverbs 14:30 Or, jealousy
  13. Proverbs 14:32 Or, calamity
  14. Proverbs 14:33 Or, And in the midst of fools it maketh itself known
  15. Proverbs 14:34 Hebrew peoples.
  16. Proverbs 14:35 Or, doeth shamefully