1 Every wise woman builds her house,

but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

2 He who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh,

but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.

3 The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back,

but the lips of the wise protect them.

4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean,

but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

5 A truthful witness will not lie,

but a false witness pours out lies.

6 A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn’t find it,

but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.

7 Stay away from a foolish man,

for you won’t find knowledge on his lips.

8 The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way,

but the folly of fools is deceit.

9 Fools mock at making atonement for sins,

but among the upright there is good will.

10 The heart knows its own bitterness and joy;

he will not share these with a stranger.

11 The house of the wicked will be overthrown,

but the tent of the upright will flourish.

12 There is a way which seems right to a man,

but in the end it leads to death.

13 Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful,

and mirth may end in heaviness.

14 The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways;

likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.

15 A simple man believes everything,

but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.

16 A wise man fears and shuns evil,

but the fool is hot headed and reckless.

17 He who is quick to become angry will commit folly,

and a crafty man is hated.

18 The simple inherit folly,

but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19 The evil bow down before the good,

and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20 The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbor,

but the rich person has many friends.

21 He who despises his neighbor sins,

but he who has pity on the poor is blessed.

22 Don’t they go astray who plot evil?

But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.

23 In all hard work there is profit,

but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

24 The crown of the wise is their riches,

but the folly of fools crowns them with folly.

25 A truthful witness saves souls,

but a false witness is deceitful.

26 In the fear of Yahweh is a secure fortress,

and he will be a refuge for his children.

27 The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life,

turning people from the snares of death.

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

but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.

29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding,

but he who has a quick temper displays folly.

30 The life of the body is a heart at peace,

but envy rots the bones.

31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker,

but he who is kind to the needy honors him.

32 The wicked is brought down in his calamity,

but in death, the righteous has a refuge.

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,

and is even made known in the inward part of fools.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation,

but sin is a disgrace to any people.

35 The king’s favor is toward a servant who deals wisely,

but his wrath is toward one who causes shame.

1 Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish plucks it down with her hands.

2 He that walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, but [he that is] perverse in his ways despises him.

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

4 Without oxen, the storehouse [is] clean, but by the strength of the ox there is abundance of bread.

5 The true witness will not lie, but the false witness will utter lies.

6 The scorner sought wisdom and [found it] not, but wisdom [comes] easy unto him that understands.

7 Go from the presence of the foolish man when thou dost not perceive [in him] the lips of knowledge.

8 The wisdom of the sane [is] to understand his way, but the folly of fools [is] deceit.

9 Fools speak sin unto themselves, but among the righteous [there is] love.

10 The heart knows the bitterness of his soul, and a stranger shall not intermeddle with his joy.

11 The house of the wicked shall be made desolate, but the tent of the upright shall flourish.

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

13 Even in laughter, [the scorner] has pain in his heart, and the end of that mirth [is] heaviness.

14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways, and the good man [shall be separated] from him.

15 The simple believes every word, but the prudent [man] understands his steps.

16 The wise [man] fears and departs from evil, but the fool rages and is confident.

17 [He that is] soon angry shall deal foolishly, and the man of wicked devices shall be hated.

18 The simple shall inherit folly, but the prudent shall be crowned with wisdom.

19 Those [who are] evil shall bow before those [who are] good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour, but many are those who love the rich.

21 The sinner despises his neighbour, but he that has mercy on the poor is blessed.

22 Do they not err that meditate upon evil? but those that meditate upon good shall attain mercy and truth.

23 In all labour there is fruit, but to talk and not do, brings poverty.

24 The crown of the wise [is] their wisdom, [but] that which distinguishes fools [is their] folly.

25 The true witness delivers souls, but the deceitful [one] speaks lies.

26 In the fear of the LORD [is] strong confidence, and [there] his sons shall have hope.

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

28 In the multitude of the people [is] the king's glory, but in the failure of the people [is] the weakness of the prince.

29 He [that is] slow to wrath [is] of great intelligence, but [he that is] short of spirit exalts folly.

30 A sound heart [is] life to the flesh, but envy [is] rottenness of the bones.

31 He that oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he that has mercy on the poor, honours him.

32 For his wickedness shall the wicked be cast out, but the righteous in his death has hope.

33 Wisdom shall rest in the heart of him that is sane and is made known in the midst of the fools.

34 Righteousness exalts a people, but sin [is] a reproach to the nations.

35 The king's favour [is] toward the wise servant, but his wrath is [against] him that causes shame.: