Proverbs 14

14The wisest of women^a builds her house,

but the foolish tears it down with her hands.

²He who walks in uprightness fears Yahweh,

but he who is devious in his ways displeases him.

³In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride,

but the lips of the wise preserve them.

⁴When there are no^b oxen the manger is empty,

but an abundance of crops comes by the strength of an ox.^c

⁵A faithful witness does not lie,

but he who breathes out falsehood is a witness of deceit.

⁶A scoffer seeks wisdom, but there is none,

but knowledge comes easily to him who understands.^d

⁷Leave the presence of a foolish man,^e

for you will not come to know words of knowledge.^f

⁸The wisdom of the clever is understanding his ways,

but the folly of fools is deceit.

⁹Fools mock^g the guilt offering,

but among the upright, it is favorable.

¹⁰The heart^h knows the bitterness of its soul,ⁱ

but in its joy, it will not share itself with a stranger.

¹¹The house of the wicked will be destroyed,

but the tent of the upright will flourish.

¹²There is a way that seems upright to^j a man,

but its end is the way of death.

¹³Even in laughter, a heart may be sad,

and the end of joy may be grief.

¹⁴From his ways, the perverse of heart will be satisfied,

and from his own,^k so shall a good man.

¹⁵The simple will believe every word,

but the clever will consider his step.

¹⁶The wise is cautious and turns from evil,

but the fool throws off restraint and is confident.

¹⁷He who is short of temper^l will act foolishly,

and the man who schemes will be hated.

¹⁸The simple are adorned with folly,

but the clever are crowned with knowledge.

¹⁹The evil bow down before the good,

and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,

but the lovers of the rich are many.

²¹He who despises his neighbor is a sinner,

but he who has mercy on the poor blesses him.

²²Have they not erred, those who plan evil?

But loyalty and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.

²³In all toil, there is profit,

but the talk^m of lips leads only to poverty.

²⁴The crown of the wise is their wealth;

the folly of fools is folly.

²⁵He who saves livesⁿ is a witness of truth,

but he who utters lies is a betrayer.

²⁶In the fear of Yahweh, there is confidence of strength,

and for his children, there will be refuge.

²⁷The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life,

in order to turn from the snares of death.

²⁸In the multitude of people is the glory of the king,

but without a population, a prince is ruined.

²⁹He who is slow to anger has great understanding,

but the hasty of spirit^o exalts folly.

³⁰A heart^p of tranquility^q is life to the flesh,

but causes bones of passion to rot.

³¹He who oppresses the poor insults him who made him,

but he who has mercy on the poor honors him.

³²By his evildoing, the wicked will be overthrown,

and the righteous will find refuge in his death.

³³In the heart^r of him who has understanding, wisdom rests,

but even in the midst of fools it becomes known.

³⁴Righteousness will exalt a nation,

but sin is a reproach to a people.

³⁵The favor of a king is for the servant who deals wisely,

but his wrath will be on him who acts shamefully.