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 Loʀᴅ,
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.
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 Loʀᴅ there is strong confidence,
And
2his children will have refuge.
27 The
1fear of the Loʀᴅ 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.