Proverbs 14

1Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

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

1A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish will pull down with her hands that also which is built.

2He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

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.

2He that walketh in the right way, and feareth God, is despised by him that goeth by an infamous way.

3In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

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

3In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride: but the lips of the wise preserve them.

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

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

4Where there are no oxen, the crib is empty: but where there is much corn, there the strength of the ox is manifest.

5A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

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

5A faithful witness will not lie: but a deceitful witness uttereth a lie.

6A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.

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

6A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: the learning of the wise is easy.

7Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

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

7Go against a foolish man, and he knoweth not the lips of prudence.

8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

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

8The wisdom of a discreet man is to understand his way: and the imprudence of fools erreth.

9Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

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

9A fool will laugh at sin, but among the just grace shall abide.

10The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.

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

10The heart that knoweth the bitterness of his own soul, in his joy the stranger shall not intermeddle.

11The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

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

11The house of the wicked shall be destroyed: but the tabernacles of the just shall flourish.

12There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

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

12There is a way which seemeth just to a man: but the ends thereof lead to death.

13Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

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

13Laughter shall be mingled with sorrow, and mourning taketh hold of the ends of joy.

14The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

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.

14A fool shall be filled with his own ways, and the good man shall be above him.

15The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

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

15The innocent believeth every word: the discreet man considereth his steps. No good shall come to the deceitful son: but the wise servant shall prosper in his dealings, and his way shall be made straight.

16A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

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

16A wise man feareth, and declineth from evil: the fool leapeth over, and is confident.

17He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

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

17The impatient man shall work folly: and the crafty man is hateful.

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

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

18The childish shall possess folly, and the prudent shall look for knowledge.

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

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

19The evil shall fall down before the good: and the wicked before the gates of the just.

20The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.

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

20The poor man shall be hateful even to his own neighbour: but the friends of the rich are many.

21He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

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

21He that despiseth his neighbour, sinneth: but he that sheweth mercy to the poor, shall be blessed. He that believeth in the Lord, loveth mercy.

22Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

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

22They err that work evil: but mercy and truth prepare good things.

23In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

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

23In much work there shall be abundance: but where there are many words, there is oftentimes want.

24The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.

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

24The crown of the wise, is their riches: the folly of fools, imprudence.

25A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

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

25A faithful witness delivereth souls: and the double dealer uttereth lies.

26In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

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

26In the fear of the Lord is confidence of strength, and there shall be hope for his children.

27The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

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

27The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to decline from the ruin of death.

28In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

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

28In the multitude of people is the dignity of the king: and in the small number of the people the dishonour of the prince.

29He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

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

29He that is patient, is governed with much wisdom: but he that is impatient, exalteth his folly.

30A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

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

30Soundness of heart is the life of the flesh: but envy is the rottenness of the bones.

31He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

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.

31He that oppresseth the poor, upbraideth his maker: but he that hath pity on the poor, honoureth him.

32The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

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

32The wicked man shall be driven out in his wickedness: but the just hath hope in his death.

33Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

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

33In the heart of the prudent resteth wisdom, and it shall instruct all the ignorant.

34Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

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

34Justice exalteth a nation: but sin maketh nations miserable.

35The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

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

35A wise servant is acceptable to the king: he that is good for nothing shall feel his anger.