PROVERBS 14 [†] e The wisest of women f builds her house,
but folly with her own hands g tears it down.
2[^] Whoever h walks in uprightness fears the LORD,
but he who is i devious in his ways despises him.
3 By the mouth of a fool comes j a rod for his back, [1]
k but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4[†] Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5[†] l A faithful witness does not lie,
but m a false witness breathes out lies.
6 n A scoffer seeks wisdom o in vain,
but p knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7 Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8[†] The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9[†] q Fools mock at the guilt offering,
but the upright enjoy acceptance. [2]
10 The heart knows its own r bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
11 s The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 t There is a way that seems right to a man,
but u its end is the way to death. [3]
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and v the end of joy may be w grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be x filled with the fruit of his ways,
and y a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15 z The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
16[†] a One who is wise is cautious [4] and b turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless.
17 A man of c quick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil devices is hated.
18[†] The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 d The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20[†] e The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
f but the rich has many friends.
21[†] Whoever g despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but h blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
22 Do they not go astray who i devise evil?
Those who devise good meet [5] j steadfast love and faithfulness.
23[†] In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk k tends only to poverty.
24[†] The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools brings folly.
25[†] A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who l breathes out lies is deceitful.
26[†] In the fear of the LORD one has m strong confidence,
and n his children will have o a refuge.
27 The fear of the LORD is p a fountain of life,
that one may q turn away from the snares of death.
28[†] In r a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
29[†] Whoever is s slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30 A tranquil [6] heart gives t life to the flesh,
but u envy [7] makes v the bones rot.
31 Whoever oppresses a poor man w insults his x Maker,
y but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
32[†] z The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
but a the righteous finds refuge in his death.
33[†] Wisdom b rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools. [8]
34[†] Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 A servant who deals wisely has c the king’s favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.