1 E very wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down.

Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

2 W hoso is walking in his uprightness is fearing Jehovah, And the perverted his ways is despising Him.

He who walks in uprightness reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, but he who is contrary and devious in his ways despises Him.

3 I n the mouth of a fool a rod of pride, And the lips of the wise preserve them.

In the fool’s own mouth is a rod his pride, but the wise men’s lips preserve them.

4 W ithout oxen a stall clean, And great the increase by the power of the ox.

Where no oxen are, the grain crib is empty, but much increase comes by the strength of the ox.

5 A faithful witness lieth not, And a false witness breatheth out lies.

A faithful witness will not lie, but a false witness breathes out falsehoods.

6 A scorner hath sought wisdom, and it is not, And knowledge to the intelligent easy.

A scoffer seeks Wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy to him who understands.

7 G o from before a foolish man, Or thou hast not known the lips of knowledge.

Go from the presence of a foolish and self-confident man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.

8 T he wisdom of the prudent to understand his way, And the folly of fools deceit.

The Wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is to deceive.

9 F ools mock at a guilt-offering, And among the upright -- a pleasing thing.

Fools make a mock of sin and sin mocks the fools, but among the upright there is the favor of God.

10 T he heart knoweth its own bitterness, And with its joy a stranger doth not intermeddle.

The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.

11 T he house of the wicked is destroyed, And the tent of the upright flourisheth.

The house of the wicked shall be overthrown, but the tent of the upright shall flourish.

12 T here is a way -- right before a man, And its latter end ways of death.

There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.

13 E ven in laughter is the heart pained, And the latter end of joy affliction.

Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of mirth is heaviness and grief.

14 F rom his ways is the backslider in heart filled, And a good man -- from his fruits.

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways, and a good man shall be satisfied with his ways.

15 T he simple giveth credence to everything, And the prudent attendeth to his step.

The simpleton believes every word he hears, but the prudent man looks and considers well where he is going.

16 T he wise is fearing and turning from evil, And a fool is transgressing and is confident.

A wise man suspects danger and cautiously avoids evil, but the fool bears himself insolently and is confident.

17 W hoso is short of temper doth folly, And a man of wicked devices is hated.

He who foams up quickly and flies into a passion deals foolishly, and a man of wicked plots and plans is hated.

18 T he simple have inherited folly, And the prudent are crowned knowledge.

The simple acquire folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19 T he evil have bowed down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

The evil men bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20 E ven of his neighbour is the poor hated, And those loving the rich many.

The poor is hated even by his own neighbor, but the rich has many friends.

21 W hoso is despising his neighbour sinneth, Whoso is favouring the humble, O his happiness.

He who despises his neighbor sins, but happy (blessed and fortunate) is he who is kind and merciful to the poor.

22 D o not they err who are devising evil? And kindness and truth to those devising good,

Do they not err who devise evil and wander from the way of life? But loving-kindness and mercy, loyalty and faithfulness, shall be to those who devise good.

23 I n all labour there is advantage, And a thing of the lips only to want.

In all labor there is profit, but idle talk leads only to poverty.

24 T he crown of the wise is their wealth, The folly of fools folly.

The crown of the wise is their wealth of Wisdom, but the foolishness of fools is folly.

25 A true witness is delivering souls, And a deceitful one breatheth out lies.

A truthful witness saves lives, but a deceitful witness speaks lies.

26 I n the fear of Jehovah strong confidence, And to His sons there is a refuge.

In the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children shall always have a place of refuge.

27 T he fear of Jehovah a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.

Reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.

28 I n the multitude of a people the honour of a king, And in lack of people the ruin of a prince.

In a multitude of people is the king’s glory, but in a lack of people is the prince’s ruin.

29 W hoso is slow to anger of great understanding, And whoso is short in temper is exalting folly.

He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is hasty of spirit exposes and exalts his folly.

30 A healed heart life to the flesh, And rottenness to the bones envy.

A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body, but envy, jealousy, and wrath are like rottenness of the bones.

31 A n oppressor of the poor reproacheth his Maker, And whoso is honouring Him Is favouring the needy.

He who oppresses the poor reproaches, mocks, and insults his Maker, but he who is kind and merciful to the needy honors Him.

32 I n his wickedness is the wicked driven away, And trustful in his death the righteous.

The wicked is overthrown through his wrongdoing and calamity, but the righteous has hope and confidence even in death.

33 I n the heart of the intelligent wisdom doth rest. And in the midst of fools it is known.

Wisdom rests in the mind and heart of him who has understanding, but that which is in the inward part of fools is made known.

34 R ighteousness exalteth a nation, And the goodliness of peoples a sin-offering.

Uprightness and right standing with God (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) elevate a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

35 T he favour of a king to a wise servant, And an object of his wrath is one causing shame!

The king’s favor is toward a wise and discreet servant, but his wrath is against him who does shamefully.