Proverbs Monthly
14 Every wise woman[a] has built[b] her household,[c]
but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
2 The one who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,[d]
but the one who is perverted in his ways[e] despises him.
3 In[f] the speech[g] of a fool is a rod for his back,[h]
but the words[i] 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.[j]
5 A truthful witness[k] does not lie,
but a false witness[l] breathes out lies.[m]
6 The scorner[n] sought wisdom—there was none,[o]
but understanding was easy[p] for a discerning person.
7 Walk[q] abreast with a foolish person,[r]
and you do not understand[s] wise counsel.[t]
8 The wisdom of the shrewd person[u] is to discern[v] his way,
but the folly of fools is deception.[w]
9 Fools mock[x] at reparation,[y]
but among the upright there is favor.[z]
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,[aa]
and with its joy no one else[ab] can share.[ac]
11 The household[ad] of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent[ae] of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a person,[af]
but its end is the way that leads to death.[ag]
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,[ah]
and the end[ai] of joy may be[aj] grief.
14 The backslider[ak] will be paid back[al] from his own ways,
but a good person will be rewarded[am] for his.
15 A naive person[an] will believe anything,
but the shrewd person discerns his steps.[ao]
16 A wise person is cautious[ap] and turns from evil,
but a fool throws off restraint[aq] and is overconfident.[ar]
17 A person who has a quick temper[as] will do foolish things,
and a person with crafty schemes[at] will be hated.[au]
18 The naive have inherited[av] folly,
but the shrewd[aw] will be crowned[ax] with knowledge.
19 Bad people have bowed[ay] before good people,
and wicked people have bowed[az] at the gates[ba] of someone righteous.[bb]
20 A poor person will be disliked[bc] even by his neighbors,
but those who love the rich are many.[bd]
21 The one who despises his neighbor sins,
but whoever is kind to the needy is blessed.
22 Do not those who devise[be] evil go astray?
But those who plan good exhibit[bf] faithful covenant love.[bg]
23 In all hard work[bh] there is profit,
but merely talking about it[bi] only brings[bj] poverty.[bk]
24 The crown of the wise is their riches,[bl]
but the folly[bm] of fools is folly.
25 A truthful witness[bn] rescues lives,[bo]
but one who testifies falsely betrays them.[bp]
26 In the fear of the Lord one has[bq] strong confidence,[br]
and it will be a refuge[bs] for his children.
27 The fear of the Lord[bt] is like[bu] a life-giving fountain,[bv]
to turn[bw] people[bx] from deadly snares.[by]
28 A king’s glory is[bz] the abundance of people,
but the lack of subjects[ca] is the ruin[cb] of a ruler.
29 Someone with great understanding is slow to anger,[cc]
but the one who has a quick temper[cd] exalts[ce] folly.
30 A tranquil spirit[cf] revives the body,[cg]
but envy[ch] is rottenness to the bones.[ci]
31 The one who oppresses[cj] the poor has insulted[ck] his Creator,
but whoever honors him shows favor[cl] to the needy.
32 An evil person will be thrown down through his wickedness,[cm]
but a righteous person takes refuge in his integrity.[cn]
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning;
it is not known[co] in the inner parts[cp] of fools.
34 Righteousness exalts[cq] a nation,
but sin is a disgrace[cr] to any people.
35 The king shows favor[cs] to a wise[ct] servant,
but his wrath falls on[cu] one who acts shamefully.
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