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.