Proverbs 14 Westminster Leningrad Codex

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Scholarly edition
OT: Masoretic Hebrew
Hebrew Bible (Tanakh)
Original language
1008
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WLC Westminster Leningrad Codex

WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)

1 חַכְמ֣וֹת נָ֭שִׁים בָּנְתָ֣ה בֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝אִוֶּ֗לֶת בְּיָדֶ֥יהָ תֶהֶרְסֶֽנּוּ׃

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

2 הוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּ֭יָשְׁרוֹ יְרֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה וּנְל֖וֹז דְּרָכָ֣יו בּוֹזֵֽהוּ׃

2 He who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.

3 בְּֽפִי־אֱ֭וִיל חֹ֣טֶר גַּאֲוָ֑ה וְשִׂפְתֵ֥י חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים תִּשְׁמוּרֵֽם׃

3 The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.

4 בְּאֵ֣ין אֲ֭לָפִים אֵב֣וּס בָּ֑ר וְרָב־תְּ֝בוּא֗וֹת בְּכֹ֣חַ שֽׁוֹר׃

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

5 עֵ֣ד אֱ֭מוּנִים לֹ֣א יְכַזֵּ֑ב וְיָפִ֥יחַ כְּ֝זָבִ֗ים עֵ֣ד שָֽׁקֶר׃

5 A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.

6 בִּקֶּשׁ־לֵ֣ץ חָכְמָ֣ה וָאָ֑יִן וְדַ֖עַת לְנָב֣וֹן נָקָֽל׃

6 A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn’t find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.

7 לֵ֣ךְ מִ֭נֶּגֶד לְאִ֣ישׁ כְּסִ֑יל וּבַל־יָ֝דַ֗עְתָּ שִׂפְתֵי־דָֽעַת׃

7 Stay away from a foolish man, for you won’t find knowledge on his lips.

8 חָכְמַ֣ת עָ֭רוּם הָבִ֣ין דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְאִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃

8 The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.

9 אֱ֭וִלִים יָלִ֣יץ אָשָׁ֑ם וּבֵ֖ין יְשָׁרִ֣ים רָצֽוֹן׃

9 Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but among the upright there is good will.

10 לֵ֗ב י֭וֹדֵעַ מָרַּ֣ת נַפְשׁ֑וֹ וּ֝בְשִׂמְחָת֗וֹ לֹא־יִתְעָ֥רַב זָֽר׃

10 The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.

11 בֵּ֣ית רְ֭שָׁעִים יִשָּׁמֵ֑ד וְאֹ֖הֶל יְשָׁרִ֣ים יַפְרִֽיחַ׃

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

12 יֵ֤שׁ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יָ֭שָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת ׃

12 There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

13 גַּם־בִּשְׂח֥וֹק יִכְאַב־לֵ֑ב וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖הּ שִׂמְחָ֣ה תוּגָֽה׃

13 Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness.

14 מִדְּרָכָ֣יו יִ֭שְׂבַּע ס֣וּג לֵ֑ב וּ֝מֵעָלָ֗יו אִ֣ישׁ טֽוֹב׃

14 The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.

15 פֶּ֭תִי יַאֲמִ֣ין לְכָל־דָּבָ֑ר וְ֝עָר֗וּם יָבִ֥ין לַאֲשֻׁרֽוֹ׃

15 A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.

16 חָכָ֣ם יָ֭רֵא וְסָ֣ר מֵרָ֑ע וּ֝כְסִ֗יל מִתְעַבֵּ֥ר וּבוֹטֵֽחַ׃

16 A wise man fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.

17 קְֽצַר־אַ֭פַּיִם יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה אִוֶּ֑לֶת וְאִ֥ישׁ מְ֝זִמּ֗וֹת יִשָּׂנֵֽא׃

17 He who is quick to become angry will commit folly, and a crafty man is hated.

18 נָחֲל֣וּ פְתָאיִ֣ם אִוֶּ֑לֶת וַֽ֝עֲרוּמִ֗ים יַכְתִּ֥רוּ דָֽעַת׃

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

19 שַׁח֣וּ רָ֭עִים לִפְנֵ֣י טוֹבִ֑ים וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים עַֽל־שַׁעֲרֵ֥י צַדִּֽיק׃

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

20 גַּם־לְ֭רֵעֵהוּ יִשָּׂ֣נֵא רָ֑שׁ וְאֹהֲבֵ֖י עָשִׁ֣יר רַבִּֽים׃

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

21 בָּז־לְרֵעֵ֥הוּ חוֹטֵ֑א וּמְחוֹנֵ֖ן עניים אַשְׁרָֽיו׃

21 He who despises his neighbor sins, but he who has pity on the poor is blessed.

22 הֲֽלוֹא־יִ֭תְעוּ חֹ֣רְשֵׁי רָ֑ע וְחֶ֥סֶד וֶ֝אֱמֶ֗ת חֹ֣רְשֵׁי טֽוֹב׃

22 Don’t they go astray who plot evil? But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.

23 בְּכָל־עֶ֭צֶב יִהְיֶ֣ה מוֹתָ֑ר וּדְבַר־שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃

23 In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

24 עֲטֶ֣רֶת חֲכָמִ֣ים עָשְׁרָ֑ם אִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

24 The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools crowns them with folly.

25 מַצִּ֣יל נְ֭פָשׁוֹת עֵ֣ד אֱמֶ֑ת וְיָפִ֖חַ כְּזָבִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃

25 A truthful witness saves souls, but a false witness is deceitful.

26 בְּיִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה מִבְטַח־עֹ֑ז וּ֝לְבָנָ֗יו יִהְיֶ֥ה מַחְסֶֽה׃

26 In the fear of Yahweh is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.

27 יִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים לָ֝ס֗וּר מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁי מָֽוֶת׃

27 The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death.

28 בְּרָב־עָ֥ם הַדְרַת־מֶ֑לֶךְ וּבְאֶ֥פֶס לְ֝אֹ֗ם מְחִתַּ֥ת רָזֽוֹן׃

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

29 אֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם רַב־תְּבוּנָ֑ה וּקְצַר־ר֝֗וּחַ מֵרִ֥ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.

30 חַיֵּ֣י בְ֭שָׂרִים לֵ֣ב מַרְפֵּ֑א וּרְקַ֖ב עֲצָמ֣וֹת קִנְאָֽה׃

30 The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy rots the bones.

31 עֹ֣שֵֽׁק־דָּ֭ל חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ וּ֝מְכַבְּד֗וֹ חֹנֵ֥ן אֶבְיֽוֹן׃

31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.

32 בְּֽ֭רָעָתוֹ יִדָּחֶ֣ה רָשָׁ֑ע וְחֹסֶ֖ה בְמוֹת֣וֹ צַדִּֽיק׃

32 The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.

33 בְּלֵ֣ב נָ֭בוֹן תָּנ֣וּחַ חָכְמָ֑ה וּבְקֶ֥רֶב כְּ֝סִילִ֗ים תִּוָּדֵֽעַ׃

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, and is even made known in the inward part of fools.

34 צְדָקָ֥ה תְרֽוֹמֵֽם־גּ֑וֹי וְחֶ֖סֶד לְאֻמִּ֣ים חַטָּֽאת׃

34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

35 רְֽצוֹן־מֶ֭לֶךְ לְעֶ֣בֶד מַשְׂכִּ֑יל וְ֝עֶבְרָת֗וֹ תִּהְיֶ֥ה מֵבִֽישׁ׃

35 The king’s favor is toward a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath is toward one who causes shame.

Cross references (35)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

Quotes verse 14:28 Augustine of Hippo, Expositions on the Psalms (Psalm LXXXVI)
The Scripture says, "In a wide nation is the king's honour; but in the domination of the people is the affliction of a prince." This wrong then thou dost unto Christ, to say that His people is diminished to that small number.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)

Old Testament

What the Fathers said