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.
28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
29 Whoever is sslow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30 A tranquil6 heart gives life to the flesh,
but envy7 makes the bones rot.
31 tWhoever uoppresses a poor man insults vhis Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
32 The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom rests win the heart of a man of understanding,
but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.8
34 Righteousness xexalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 yA servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
1 zA soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 aThe tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
3 bThe eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4 cA gentle1 tongue is a dtree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
5 A fool edespises his father’s finstruction,
but whoever gheeds reproof is prudent.
6 In hthe house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the hearts of fools.2
8 iThe sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
jbut the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
10 There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever khates reproof will die.
11 Sheol and Abaddon lie lopen before the Lord;
how much more mthe hearts of the children of man!
12 A scoffer does not like to be reproved;
he will not go to the wise.
13 nA glad heart makes a cheerful face,
but oby sorrow of heart the spirit is pcrushed.
14 The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil,
but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.
16 qBetter is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.
17 rBetter is a dinner of herbs where love is
than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
18 sA hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
but he who is tslow to anger quiets contention.
19 The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,
but the path of the upright is a level highway.
20 uA wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21 Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of vunderstanding walks straight ahead.
22 wWithout counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
23 To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and xa word in season, how good it is!
24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent,
that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud
but maintains the widow’s boundaries.
26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
but ygracious words are pure.
27 Whoever is zgreedy for unjust gain atroubles his own household,
but he who hates bbribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and cgood news refreshes3 the bones.
31 The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
32 Whoever dignores einstruction despises himself,
but he who listens to reproof fgains intelligence.
33 gThe fear of the Lord is hinstruction in wisdom,
and ihumility comes before honor.
