14:1 Every wise woman has built her household,

but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.

2 The one who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,

but the one who is perverted in his ways despises him.

3 In the speech of a fool is a rod for his back,

but the words of the wise protect them.

4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean,

but an abundant harvest is produced by strong oxen.

5 A truthful witness does not lie,

but a false witness breathes out lies.

6 The scorner sought wisdom—there was none,

but understanding was easy for a discerning person.

7 Walk abreast with a foolish person,

and you do not understand wise counsel.

8 The wisdom of the shrewd person is to discern his way,

but the folly of fools is deception.

9 Fools mock at reparation,

but among the upright there is favor.

10 The heart knows its own bitterness,

and with its joy no one else can share.

11 The household of the wicked will be destroyed,

but the tent of the upright will flourish.

12 There is a way that seems right to a person,

but its end is the way that leads to death.

13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,

and the end of joy may be grief.

14 The backslider will be paid back from his own ways,

but a good person will be rewarded for his.

15 A naive person will believe anything,

but the shrewd person discerns his steps.

16 A wise person is cautious and turns from evil,

but a fool throws off restraint and is overconfident.

17 A person who has a quick temper will do foolish things,

and a person with crafty schemes will be hated.

18 The naive have inherited folly,

but the shrewd will be crowned with knowledge.

19 Bad people have bowed before good people,

and wicked people have bowed at the gates of someone righteous.

20 A poor person will be disliked even by his neighbors,

but those who love the rich are many.

21 The one who despises his neighbor sins,

but whoever is kind to the needy is blessed.

22 Do not those who devise evil go astray?

But those who plan good exhibit faithful covenant love.

23 In all hard work there is profit,

but merely talking about it only brings poverty.

24 The crown of the wise is their riches,

but the folly of fools is folly.

25 A truthful witness rescues lives,

but one who testifies falsely betrays them.

26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,

and it will be a refuge for his children.

27 The fear of the Lord is like a life-giving fountain,

to turn people from deadly snares.

28 A king’s glory is the abundance of people,

but the lack of subjects is the ruin of a ruler.

29 Someone with great understanding is slow to anger,

but the one who has a quick temper exalts folly.

30 A tranquil spirit revives the body,

but envy is rottenness to the bones.

31 The one who oppresses the poor has insulted his Creator,

but whoever honors him shows favor to the needy.

32 An evil person will be thrown down through his wickedness,

but a righteous person takes refuge in his integrity.

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning;

it is not known in the inner parts of fools.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation,

but sin is a disgrace to any people.

35 The king shows favor to a wise servant,

but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® copyright © 1996, 2019, used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.