Proverbs 14

¹Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.

²He who goes on his way in righteousness has before him the fear of the Lord; but he whose ways are twisted gives him no honour.

³In the mouth of the foolish man is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.

⁴Where there are no oxen, their food-place is clean; but much increase comes through the strength of the ox.

⁵A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.

⁶The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man.

⁷Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.

⁸The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.

⁹In the tents of those hating authority there is error, but in the house of the upright man there is grace.

¹⁰No one has knowledge of a man's grief but himself; and a strange person has no part in his joy.

¹¹The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of the upright man will do well.

¹²There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.

¹³Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.

¹⁴He whose heart is turned away will have the reward of his ways in full measure; but a good man will have the reward of his doings.

¹⁵The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.

¹⁶The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.

¹⁷He who is quickly angry will do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet.

¹⁸Foolish behaviour is the heritage of the simple, but men of good sense are crowned with knowledge.

¹⁹The knees of the evil are bent before the good; and sinners go down in the dust at the doors of the upright.

²⁰The poor man is hated even by his neighbour, but the man of wealth has numbers of friends.

²¹He who has no respect for his neighbour is a sinner, but he who has pity for the poor is happy.

²²Will not the designers of evil come into error? But mercy and good faith are for the designers of good.

²³In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.

²⁴Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.

²⁵A true witness is the saviour of lives; but he who says false things is a cause of deceit.

²⁶For him in whose heart is the fear of the Lord there is strong hope: and his children will have a safe place.

²⁷The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, by which one may be turned from the nets of death.

²⁸A king's glory is in the number of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction.

²⁹He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is over-quick gives support to what is foolish.

³⁰A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.

³¹He who is hard on the poor puts shame on his Maker; but he who has mercy on those who are in need gives him honour.

³²The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the upright man has hope in his righteousness.

³³Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.

³⁴By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.

³⁵The king has pleasure in a servant who does wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.

Proverbs 14

¹Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

²He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.

³The fool's talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.

⁴Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

⁵A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.

⁶A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn't find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.

⁷Stay away from a foolish man, for you won't find knowledge on his lips.

⁸The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.

⁹Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but among the upright there is good will.

¹⁰The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.

¹¹The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.

¹²There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

¹³Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness.

¹⁴The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.

¹⁵A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.

¹⁶A wise man fears, and shuns evil, but the fool is hotheaded and reckless.

¹⁷He who is quick to become angry will commit folly, and a crafty man is hated.

¹⁸The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

¹⁹The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbor, but the rich person has many friends.

²¹He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who has pity on the poor.

²²Do they not go astray who plot evil? But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.

²³In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

²⁴The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools crowns them with folly.

²⁵A truthful witness saves souls, but a false witness is deceitful.

²⁶In the fear of the Lord is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.

²⁷The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death.

²⁸In the multitude of people is the king's glory, but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.

²⁹He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.

³⁰The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy rots the bones.

³¹He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.

³²The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.

³³Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, and is even made known in the inward part of fools.

³⁴Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

³⁵The king's favor is toward a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath is toward one who causes shame.