1Every wise woman builds her house,
but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
1The wisest of women builds her house, and a foolish woman with her own hands tears it down.
2He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD,
but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.
2The one walking in his uprightness is fearful of YHWH, and the one devious in his ways despises Him.
3The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back,
but the lips of the wise protect them.
3In the mouth of a fool is a branch of pride, and the lips of the wise ones guard them.
4Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.
4With no oxen, the trough is empty, and an abundance of produce is by the strength of an ox.
5An honest witness does not deceive,
but a dishonest witness pours forth lies.
5A witness of faithfulness does not lie, and a witness of deception breathes out lies.
6A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
6A scoffer seeks wisdom, and there is none, and knowledge is easy to the discerning one.
7Stay away from a foolish man;
you will gain no knowledge from his speech.
7Depart from in front of a man who is foolish, for you will not know there the lips of knowledge.
8The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools deceives them.
8The wisdom of a prudent one is to understand his way, and the folly of fools is deceit.
9Fools mock the making of amends,
but goodwill is found among the upright.
9Fools mock the guilt offering, and among the upright ones is favor.
10The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares in its joy.
10The heart knows the bitterness of its own soul, and in its joy a stranger does not share.
11The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
11The house of the wicked ones will be destroyed, and the tent of the upright ones will flourish.
12There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way of death.
12There is a way right before the face of a man, and its end is the way of death.
13Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and joy may end in sorrow.
13Even in laughter a heart may be pained, and the end of joy is grief.
14The backslider in heart receives the fill of his own ways,
but a good man is rewarded for his ways.
14The one turning back in heart will be filled from his ways, and a good man, from himself.
15The simple man believes every word,
but the prudent man watches his steps.
15The simple one affirms every word, and the prudent one considers his step.
16A wise man fearsa and turns from evil,
but a fool is careless and reckless.
16A wise one fears and turns aside from evil, and a fool is transgressing and is confident.
17A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
and a devious man is hated.
17One short of nostrils acts with foolishness, and a man of schemes is hated.
18The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
18The simple ones inherit foolishness, and the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19The evil bow before the good,
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
19The evil ones will bow before the face of of good ones, and wicked ones at the gates of the righteous one.
20The poor man is hated even by his neighbor,
but many are those who love the rich.
20The poor one is hated even by his neighbor, and those loving the rich one are many.
21He who despises his neighbor sins,
but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor.
21The one despising his neighbor sins, and the one showing favor to the poor is blessed.
22Do not those who contrive evil go astray?
But those who plan goodness finda loving devotion and faithfulness.
22Do they not go astray who are planning evil? And loving devotion and truth are unto those planning good.
23There is profit in all labor,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
23In all labor there is profit, and a word of the lips is only to poverty.
24The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the effort of fools is folly.
24The crown of the wise is their wealth; the folly of fools is folly.
25A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who utters lies is deceitful.
25A witness of truth is delivering souls, and one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
26He who fears the LORD is secure in confidence,
and his children shall have a place of refuge.
26In the fear of YHWH confidence is strong, and for his sons there is a refuge.
27The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
turning a man from the snares of death.
27The fear of YHWH is a fountain of life, to turn aside from the snares of death.
28A large population is a king’s splendor,
but a lack of subjects is a prince’s ruin.
28In a multitude of people is the glory of a king, and in a lack of people is the ruin of a prince.
29A patient man has great understanding,
but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
29The one slow to anger is great in understanding, and the one short of temper lifts up folly.
30A tranquil heart is life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.
30A heart of healing is life to the body, and jealousy is rottenness to the bones.
31Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
31The one oppressing the poor reproaches his Maker, and the one honoring Him shows favor to the needy.
32The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin,
but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.
32By his evil a wicked one is thrust down, and a righteous one takes refuge in his death.
33Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning;
even among fools she is known.a
33In the heart of a discerning one wisdom rests, and within fools she makes herself known.
34Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a disgrace to any people.
34Righteousness exalts a nation, and sin is a reproach of peoples.
35A king delights in a wise servant,
but his anger falls on the shameful.
35The favor of a king is toward a wise servant, and his wrath is to one causing shame.