Chapter 14

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 The awise woman builds her house,

But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

2 He who awalks in his uprightness fears the Lord,

But he who is bdevious in his ways despises Him.

3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod 1for his back,

But athe lips of the wise will protect them.

4 Where no oxen are, the manger is clean,

But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.

5 A atrustworthy witness will not lie,

But a bfalse witness 1cutters lies.

6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,

But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.

7 Leave the apresence of a fool,

Or you will not 1discern 2words of knowledge.

8 The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,

But athe foolishness of fools is deceit.

9 Fools mock at 1sin,

But aamong the upright there is 2good will.

10 The heart knows its own abitterness,

And a stranger does not share its joy.

11 The ahouse of the wicked will be destroyed,

But the tent of the upright will flourish.

12 There ais a way which seems right to a man,

But its bend is the way of death.

13 Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,

And the aend of joy may be grief.

14 The backslider in heart will have his afill of his own ways,

But a good man will bbe satisfied 1with his.

15 The 1naive believes everything,

But the sensible man considers his steps.

16 A wise man 1is cautious and aturns away from evil,

But a fool is arrogant and careless.

17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,

And a man of evil devices is hated.

18 The 1naive inherit foolishness,

But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.

19 The aevil will bow down before the good,

And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20 The apoor is hated even by his neighbor,

But those who love the rich are many.

21 He who adespises his neighbor sins,

But bhappy is he who is gracious to the 1poor.

22 Will they not go astray who adevise evil?

But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.

23 In all labor there is profit,

But 1mere talk leads only to poverty.

24 The acrown of the wise is their riches,

But the folly of fools is foolishness.

25 A truthful witness saves lives,

But he who 1autters lies is 2treacherous.

26 In the 1afear of the Lord there is strong confidence,

And 2his children will have refuge.

27 The 1fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,

That one may avoid the snares of death.

28 In a multitude of people is a king’s glory,

But in the dearth of people is a prince’s ruin.

29 He who is aslow to anger has great understanding,

But he who is 1quick-tempered exalts folly.

30 A atranquil heart is life to the body,

But passion is brottenness to the bones.

31 He awho oppresses the poor taunts bhis Maker,

But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.

32 The wicked is athrust down by his 1wrongdoing,

But the brighteous has a refuge when he dies.

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,

But in the 1hearts of fools it is made known.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation,

But sin is a disgrace to any people.

35 The king’s favor is toward a aservant who acts wisely,

But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.