Becker Bible Teacher Resources

Proverbs 14:1-35

The wise and the foolish contrasted

1 ¶ Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

 2 ¶ He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but [he that is] perverse in his ways despiseth him.

 3 ¶ In the mouth of the foolish [is] a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

 4 ¶ Where no oxen [are], the crib [is] clean: but much increase [is] by the strength of the ox.

 5 ¶ A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

 6 ¶ A scorner seeketh wisdom, and [findeth it] not: but knowledge [is] easy unto him that understandeth.

 7 ¶ Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not [in him] the lips of knowledge.

 8 ¶ The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand his way: but the folly of fools [is] deceit.

 9 ¶ Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous [there is] favour.

 10 ¶ The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.

 11 ¶ The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

 12 ¶ There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death.

 13 ¶ Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth [is] heaviness.

 14 ¶ The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man [shall be satisfied] from himself.

 15 ¶ The simple believeth every word: but the prudent [man] looketh well to his going.

 16 ¶ A wise [man] feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

 17 ¶ [He that is] soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

 18 ¶ The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

 19 ¶ The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

 20 ¶ The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich [hath] many friends.

 21 ¶ He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy [is] he.

 22 ¶ Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth [shall be] to them that devise good.

 23 ¶ In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to penury.

 24 ¶ The crown of the wise [is] their riches: [but] the foolishness of fools [is] folly.

 25 ¶ A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful [witness] speaketh lies.

 26 ¶ In the fear of the LORD [is] strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. 27 The fear of the LORD [is] a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

 28 ¶ In the multitude of people [is] the king’s honour: but in the want of people [is] the destruction of the prince.

 29 ¶ [He that is] slow to wrath [is] of great understanding: but [he that is] hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

 30 ¶ A sound heart [is] the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

 31 ¶ He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

 32 ¶ The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

 33 ¶ Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but [that which is] in the midst of fools is made known.

 34 ¶ Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin [is] a reproach to any people. 35 ¶ The king’s favour [is] toward a wise servant: but his wrath is [against] him that causeth shame.

1      חַכְמ֣וֹת נָ֭שִׁים בָּנְתָ֣ה בֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝אִוֶּ֗לֶת בְּיָדֶ֥יהָ תֶהֶרְסֶֽנּוּ׃
2      הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּ֭יָשְׁרוֹ יְרֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה וּנְל֖וֹז דְּרָכָ֣יו בּוֹזֵֽהוּ׃
3      בְּֽפִי־אֱ֭וִיל חֹ֣טֶר גַּאֲוָ֑ה וְשִׂפְתֵ֥י חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים תִּשְׁמוּרֵֽם׃
4      בְּאֵ֣ין אֲ֭לָפִים אֵב֣וּס בָּ֑ר וְרָב־תְּ֝בוּא֗וֹת בְּכֹ֣חַ שֽׁוֹר׃
5      עֵ֣ד אֱ֭מוּנִים לֹ֣א יְכַזֵּ֑ב וְיָפִ֥יחַ כְּ֝זָבִ֗ים עֵ֣ד שָֽׁקֶר׃
6      בִּקֶּשׁ־לֵ֣ץ חָכְמָ֣ה וָאָ֑יִן וְדַ֖עַת לְנָב֣וֹן נָקָֽל׃
7      לֵ֣ךְ מִ֭נֶּגֶד לְאִ֣ישׁ כְּסִ֑יל וּבַל־יָ֝דַ֗עְתָּ שִׂפְתֵי־דָֽעַת׃
8      חָכְמַ֣ת עָ֭רוּם הָבִ֣ין דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְאִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃
9      אֱ֭וִלִים יָלִ֣יץ אָשָׁ֑ם וּבֵ֖ין יְשָׁרִ֣ים רָצֽוֹן׃
10      לֵ֗ב י֭וֹדֵעַ מָרַּ֣ת נַפְשׁ֑וֹ וּ֝בְשִׂמְחָת֗וֹ לֹא־יִתְעָ֥רַב זָֽר׃
11      בֵּ֣ית רְ֭שָׁעִים יִשָּׁמֵ֑ד וְאֹ֖הֶל יְשָׁרִ֣ים יַפְרִֽיחַ׃
12      יֵ֤שׁ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יָ֭שָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת׃
13      גַּם־בִּשְׂח֥וֹק יִכְאַב־לֵ֑ב וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖הּ שִׂמְחָ֣ה תוּגָֽה׃
14      מִדְּרָכָ֣יו יִ֭שְׂבַּע ס֣וּג לֵ֑ב וּ֝מֵעָלָ֗יו אִ֣ישׁ טֽוֹב׃
15      פֶּ֭תִי יַאֲמִ֣ין לְכָל־דָּבָ֑ר וְ֝עָר֗וּם יָבִ֥ין לַאֲשֻׁרֹֽו׃
16      חָכָ֣ם יָ֭רֵא וְסָ֣ר מֵרָ֑ע וּ֝כְסִ֗יל מִתְעַבֵּ֥ר וּבוֹטֵֽחַ׃
17      קְֽצַר־אַ֭פַּיִם יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה אִוֶּ֑לֶת וְאִ֥ישׁ מְ֝זִמּ֗וֹת יִשָּׂנֵֽא׃
18      נָחֲל֣וּ פְתָאיִ֣ם אִוֶּ֑לֶת וַֽ֝עֲרוּמִ֗ים יַכְתִּ֥רוּ דָֽעַת׃
19      שַׁח֣וּ רָ֭עִים לִפְנֵ֣י טוֹבִ֑ים וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים עַֽל־שַׁעֲרֵ֥י צַדִּֽיק׃
20      גַּם־לְ֭רֵעֵהוּ יִשָּׂ֣נֵא רָ֑שׁ וְאֹהֲבֵ֖י עָשִׁ֣יר רַבִּֽים׃
21      בָּז־לְרֵעֵ֥הוּ חוֹטֵ֑א וּמְחוֹנֵ֖ן עֲנָיִים אַשְׁרָֽיו׃
22      הֲֽלוֹא־יִ֭תְעוּ חֹ֣רְשֵׁי רָ֑ע וְחֶ֥סֶד וֶ֝אֱמֶ֗ת חֹ֣רְשֵׁי טֽוֹב׃
23      בְּכָל־עֶ֭צֶב יִהְיֶ֣ה מוֹתָ֑ר וּדְבַר־שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃
24      עֲטֶ֣רֶת חֲכָמִ֣ים עָשְׁרָ֑ם אִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
25      מַצִּ֣יל נְ֭פָשׁוֹת עֵ֣ד אֱמֶ֑ת וְיָפִ֖חַ כְּזָבִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃
26      בְּיִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה מִבְטַח־עֹ֑ז וּ֝לְבָנָ֗יו יִהְיֶ֥ה מַחְסֶֽה׃
27      יִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים לָ֝ס֗וּר מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁי מָֽוֶת׃
28      בְּרָב־עָ֥ם הַדְרַת־מֶ֑לֶךְ וּבְאֶ֥פֶס לְ֝אֹ֗ם מְחִתַּ֥ת רָזֽוֹן׃
29      אֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם רַב־תְּבוּנָ֑ה וּקְצַר־ר֝֗וּחַ מֵרִ֥ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
30      חַיֵּ֣י בְ֭שָׂרִים לֵ֣ב מַרְפֵּ֑א וּרְקַ֖ב עֲצָמ֣וֹת קִנְאָֽה׃
31      עֹ֣שֵֽׁק־דָּ֭ל חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ וּ֝מְכַבְּד֗וֹ חֹנֵ֥ן אֶבְיֽוֹן׃
32      בְּֽ֭רָעָתוֹ יִדָּחֶ֣ה רָשָׁ֑ע וְחֹסֶ֖ה בְמוֹת֣וֹ צַדִּֽיק׃
33      בְּלֵ֣ב נָ֭בוֹן תָּנ֣וּחַ חָכְמָ֑ה וּבְקֶ֥רֶב כְּ֝סִילִ֗ים תִּוָּדֵֽעַ׃
34      צְדָקָ֥ה תְרֽוֹמֵֽם־גּ֑וֹי וְחֶ֖סֶד לְאֻמִּ֣ים חַטָּֽאת׃
35      רְֽצוֹן־מֶ֭לֶךְ לְעֶ֣בֶד מַשְׂכִּ֑יל וְ֝עֶבְרָת֗וֹ תִּהְיֶ֥ה מֵבִֽישׁ׃

The Lexham Hebrew Bible (Logos Bible Software, 2012), Pr 14:1–35.