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

The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish woman 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 honor fears the Lord, but he who is sinful in his ways hates Him.

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

A foolish man’s talk brings a stick to his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.

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

There is no grain where there are no oxen, but much grain comes by the strength of the ox.

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

A faithful man who tells what he knows will not lie, but the man who is not faithful will lie.

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

One who laughs at the truth looks for wisdom and does not find it, but much learning is easy to him who has understanding.

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

Go away from a foolish man, for you will not find words of much learning.

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

The wisdom of the wise man is to understand what to do, but lying is the foolish way of fools.

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

Fools laugh at sin, but the favor of God is among the faithful.

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

The heart knows when it is bitter, and a stranger cannot share its joy.

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

The house of the sinful will be destroyed, but all will go well in the tent of the faithful.

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

There is a way which looks right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

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

Even while laughing the heart may be in pain, and the end of joy may be sorrow.

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

The man who has gone back into sin will get the fruit of his ways, and a good man will get the fruit of what he does.

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

The one who is easy to fool believes everything, but the wise man looks where he goes.

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

A wise man fears God and turns away from what is sinful, but a fool is full of pride and is not careful.

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

He who has a quick temper acts in a foolish way, and a man who makes sinful plans is hated.

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

Those who are easy to fool are foolish, but the wise have much learning.

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

Sinful men will bow in front of the good, and at the gates of those who are right with God.

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

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

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

He who hates his neighbor sins, but happy is he who shows loving-favor to the poor.

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

Do not those who make sinful plans go the wrong way? Kindness and truth are for those who plan good.

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

Some good comes from all work. Nothing but talk leads only to being poor.

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

What the wise receive is their riches, but fools are known by their foolish ways.

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

A faithful man who tells what he knows saves lives, but he who tells lies hurts others.

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

There is strong trust in the fear of the Lord, and His children will have a safe place.

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

The fear of the Lord is a well of life. Its waters keep a man from death.

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

The shining-greatness of a king is in many people, but without people a prince has nothing.

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

He who is slow to get angry has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper makes his foolish way look right.

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

A heart that has peace is life to the body, but wrong desires are like the wasting away of the bones.

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

He who makes it hard for the poor brings shame to his Maker, but he who shows loving-favor to those in need honors Him.

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

The sinful is thrown down by his wrong-doing, but the man who is right with God has a safe place when he dies.

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

Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, but what is in the heart of fools is made known.

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

Being right with God makes a nation great, but sin is a shame 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 servant, but his anger is toward the one who brings shame by what he does.