[1] Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down
with her hands. [2] He who goes on his way in righteousness has before him
the fear of the Lord; but he whose ways are twisted gives him no honour.
[3] In the mouth of the foolish man is a rod for his back, but the lips of
the wise will keep them safe. [4] Where there are no oxen, their food-place
is clean; but much increase comes through the strength of the ox. [5] A
true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing
out deceit. [6] The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get
it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man. [7] Go away from
the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge. [8] The wisdom
of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of
the foolish is deceit. [9] In the tents of those hating authority there is
error, but in the house of the upright man there is grace. [10] No one has
knowledge of a man's grief but himself; and a strange person has no part in
his joy. [11] The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of
the upright man will do well. [12] There is a way which seems straight
before a man, but its end is the ways of death. [13] Even while laughing
the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow. [14] He whose heart is
turned away will have the reward of his ways in full measure; but a good
man will have the reward of his doings. [15] The simple man has faith in
every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps. [16]
The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on
in his pride, with no thought of danger. [17] He who is quickly angry will
do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet. [18] Foolish
behaviour is the heritage of the simple, but men of good sense are crowned
with knowledge. [19] The knees of the evil are bent before the good; and
sinners go down in the dust at the doors of the upright. [20] The poor man
is hated even by his neighbour, but the man of wealth has numbers of
friends. [21] He who has no respect for his neighbour is a sinner, but he
who has pity for the poor is happy. [22] Will not the designers of evil
come into error? But mercy and good faith are for the designers of good.
[23] In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor. [24]
Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round
the head of the unwise. [25] A true witness is the saviour of lives; but he
who says false things is a cause of deceit. [26] For him in whose heart is
the fear of the Lord there is strong hope: and his children will have a
safe place. [27] The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, by which one
may be turned from the nets of death. [28] A king's glory is in the number
of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction. [29]
He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is
over-quick gives support to what is foolish. [30] A quiet mind is the life
of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones. [31] He who is hard on the
poor puts shame on his Maker; but he who has mercy on those who are in need
gives him honour. [32] The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the
upright man has hope in his righteousness. [33] Wisdom has her
resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the
foolish. [34] By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of
shame to the peoples. [35] The king has pleasure in a servant who does
wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.
