CHAPTER 14

                ¹Wisdom has built her house,

                    and Folly with her own hands destroys it.

                ²Who walks in uprightness fears the LORD,

                    and he of twisted ways does despise Him.

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

                    but the lips of the wise will guard them.

                ⁴Without any oxen the manger is clean,

                    but there is much yield in the bull’s strength.

                ⁵A trustworthy witness does not lie,

                    but the lying deposer is a false witness.

                ⁶The scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,

                    but knowledge for the discerning is easy.

                ⁷Go before a foolish man,

                    you will not learn from him knowing speech.

                ⁸The shrewd man’s wisdom is to understand his own way,

                    but the folly of dullards deceives them.

                ⁹Guilt dwells in the tents of scoffers,

                    but among the upright—favor.

                ¹⁰The heart knows its own bitterness,

                    and in its joy no stranger mingles.

                ¹¹The house of the wicked will be destroyed,

                    and the tent of the upright will flourish.

                ¹²There may be a straight way before a man,

                    but its end is the ways of death.

                ¹³Even in laughter the heart may ache,

                    and the end of joy is sorrow.

                ¹⁴From his ways the impure of heart is sated,

                    and the good man from his deeds.

                ¹⁵A dupe will believe everything,

                    but the shrewd man understands where he steps.

                ¹⁶A wise man is cautious and swerves from evil,

                    but a fool rages and trusts too much.

                ¹⁷A short-tempered man commits folly,

                    but a cunning man will be raised high.

                ¹⁸Dupes will inherit folly,

                    but the shrewd wear a crown of knowledge.

                ¹⁹The evil bow before the good,

                    and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

                ²⁰The poor man is hated even by his neighbor,

                    but the rich man has many who love him.

                ²¹Who scorns his neighbor offends,

                    but happy he who pities the poor.

                ²²Surely those who plan evil do stray,

                    but steadfast kindness for those who plan good.

                ²³In all hard labor there is profit,

                    but word of the lips is sheer loss.

                ²⁴The crown of the wise is shrewdness;

                    the garland of dullards is folly.

                ²⁵A true witness saves lives,

                    a lying deposer fosters deceit.

                ²⁶In fear of the LORD there is a stronghold,

                    and for one’s sons it is a shelter.

                ²⁷Fear of the LORD is a wellspring of life,

                    to swerve from the snares of death.

                ²⁸In the people’s multitude is the king’s glory,

                    but when the nation is absent—the ruler’s disaster.

                ²⁹Patience means great discernment,

                    but impatience multiplies folly.

                ³⁰A healing heart is life to the body,

                    but envy is rot in the bones.

                ³¹Who oppresses the poor insults his Maker,

                    but he honors Him who pities the wretched.

                ³²In his evil the wicked is driven off,

                    but the righteous finds shelter in his innocence.

                ³³In a discerning heart wisdom rests

                    but is not known in the midst of fools.

                ³⁴Righteousness raises a nation,

                    but offense leads to want among peoples.

                ³⁵A king’s pleasure is a discerning servant,

                    but his wrath is the shameful man.