Proverbs 14-15

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

14 The wise woman^[a] builds her house,
    but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
² Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord,
    but one who is devious in conduct despises him.
³ The talk of fools is a rod for their backs,^[b]
    but the lips of the wise preserve them.
⁴ Where there are no oxen, there is no grain;
    abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
⁵ A faithful witness does not lie,
    but a false witness breathes out lies.
⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
    but knowledge is easy for one who understands.
⁷ Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not find words of knowledge.
⁸ It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go,
    but the folly of fools misleads.
⁹ Fools mock at the guilt offering,^[c]
    but the upright enjoy God’s favor.
¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
¹¹ The house of the wicked is destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright flourishes.
¹² There is a way that seems right to a person,
    but its end is the way to death.^[d]
13 Even in laughter the heart is sad,
    and the end of joy is grief.
¹⁴ The perverse get what their ways deserve,
    and the good, what their deeds deserve.^[e]
15 The simple believe everything,
    but the clever consider their steps.
¹⁶ The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,
    but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.
¹⁷ One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly,
    and the schemer is hated.
¹⁸ The simple are adorned with^[f] folly,
    but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹ The evil bow down before the good,
    the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
²⁰ The poor are disliked even by their neighbors,
    but the rich have many friends.
²¹ Those who despise their neighbors are sinners,
    but happy are those who are kind to the poor.
²² Do they not err that plan evil?
    Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.
²³ In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk leads only to poverty.
²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wisdom,^[g]
    but folly is the garland^[h] of fools.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
    but one who utters lies is a betrayer.
²⁶ In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
    and one’s children will have a refuge.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
    so that one may avoid the snares of death.
²⁸ The glory of a king is a multitude of people;
    without people a prince is ruined.
²⁹ Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
³⁰ A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh,
    but passion makes the bones rot.
³¹ Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
    but those who are kind to the needy honor him.
³² The wicked are overthrown by their evildoing,
    but the righteous find a refuge in their integrity.^[i]
33 Wisdom is at home in the mind of one who has understanding,
    but it is not^[j] known in the heart of fools.
³⁴ Righteousness exalts a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to any people.
³⁵ A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
    but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
15 A soft answer turns away wrath,
    but a harsh word stirs up anger.
² The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge,^[k]
    but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
³ The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
    keeping watch on the evil and the good.
⁴ A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
    but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
⁵ A fool despises a parent’s instruction,
    but the one who heeds admonition is prudent.
⁶ In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
    but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
    not so the minds of fools.
⁸ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but he loves the one who pursues righteousness.
¹⁰ There is severe discipline for one who forsakes the way,
    but one who hates a rebuke will die.
¹¹ Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord,
    how much more human hearts!
¹² Scoffers do not like to be rebuked;
    they will not go to the wise.
¹³ A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance,
    but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.
¹⁴ The mind of one who has understanding seeks knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
¹⁵ All the days of the poor are hard,
    but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great treasure and trouble with it.
¹⁷ Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is
    than a fatted ox and hatred with it.
¹⁸ Those who are hot-tempered stir up strife,
    but those who are slow to anger calm contention.
¹⁹ The way of the lazy is overgrown with thorns,
    but the path of the upright is a level highway.
²⁰ A wise child makes a glad father,
    but the foolish despise their mothers.
²¹ Folly is a joy to one who has no sense,
    but a person of understanding walks straight ahead.
²² Without counsel, plans go wrong,
    but with many advisers they succeed.
²³ To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone,
    and a word in season, how good it is!
²⁴ For the wise the path of life leads upward,
    in order to avoid Sheol below.
²⁵ The Lord tears down the house of the proud,
    but maintains the widow’s boundaries.
²⁶ Evil plans are an abomination to the Lord,
    but gracious words are pure.
²⁷ Those who are greedy for unjust gain make trouble for their households,
    but those who hate bribes will live.
²⁸ The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,
    but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil.
²⁹ The Lord is far from the wicked,
    but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
³⁰ The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
    and good news refreshes the body.
³¹ The ear that heeds wholesome admonition
    will lodge among the wise.
³² Those who ignore instruction despise themselves,
    but those who heed admonition gain understanding.
³³ The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
    and humility goes before honor.