1 The wisest of women builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down.
2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
but he who is ydevious in his ways despises him.
3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,1
but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5 zA faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness abreathes out lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7 bLeave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9 Fools mock at the guilt offering,
but the upright enjoy acceptance.2
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but cthe tent of the upright will flourish.
12 dThere is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is ethe way to death.3
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be ffilled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15 The simple believes everything,
but the prudent ggives thought to his steps.
16 hOne who is wise is cautious4 and turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless.
17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
and ia man of evil devices is hated.
18 The jsimple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 kThe poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
lbut the rich has many friends.
21 mWhoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but nblessed is he who is generous to the poor.
22 Do they not go astray who odevise evil?
Those who devise good meet5 psteadfast love and faithfulness.
23 qIn all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools brings folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord ris a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
I Am the True Vine
1 n“I am the true ovine, pand my Father is the vinedresser. 2 qEvery branch in me rthat does not sbear fruit the takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already uyou are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 vAbide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, wunless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and xthe branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words yabide in you, zask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 aBy this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so bprove to be my disciples. 9 cAs dthe Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 eIf you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s fcommandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and gthat your joy may be full.
