Wisdom Builds, Folly Tears Down
1The wisest of women builds her house, but folly tears it down with her own hands. 2Whoever walks in uprightness fears Yahweh, but the one whose ways are crooked despises him. 3In the mouth of the senseless is a rod of pride, but the lips of the wise protect them. 4Where there are no oxen the manger is clean, but a rich harvest comes by the strength of an ox. 5A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies. 6The scoffer looks for wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. 7Keep away from a fool; you will find no lips of knowledge there. 8The wisdom of the shrewd is to understand his own way, but the folly of fools is deceit. 9The senseless scoff at guilt, but among the upright there is favor. 10The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy. 11The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. 12There is a way that looks right to a man, but it ends in the ways of death. 13Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy is grief. 14The one whose heart turns away gets his fill of his own ways, and a good man of his.
The Simple and the Shrewd
15The simple believe every word, but the shrewd watch where they step. 16The wise man fears and turns from evil, but the fool rages on, sure of himself. 17A quick temper does foolish things, and a man of schemes is hated. 18The simple inherit folly, but the shrewd are crowned with knowledge. 19The evil bow low before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 20Even his neighbor hates the poor man, but the rich have friends in plenty. 21Whoever despises his neighbor sins, but happy is the one who is kind to the lowly. 22Do not those who plow evil go astray? But kindness and faithfulness belong to those who plow good. 23In all toil there is profit, but mere talk leads only to want. 24The crown of the wise is their wealth; the folly of fools is folly. 25A truthful witness saves lives, but whoever breathes out lies is nothing but deceit.
A Fountain of Life
26In the fear of Yahweh is a strong confidence, and for his children there will be a refuge. 27The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life, turning one away from the snares of death. 28A king’s splendor is in a numerous people; without subjects a prince is ruined. 29Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but a hasty spirit lifts up folly. 30A heart at peace is life to the body, but envy is rot in the bones. 31Whoever oppresses the poor insults his Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors him. 32The wicked man is thrown down by his own evil, but the righteous finds refuge even in his death. 33Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning, but in the midst of fools she makes herself known. 34Righteousness lifts up a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. 35A king’s favor rests on a servant who acts with insight, but his fury falls on one who brings shame.
