Proverbs 14 (Mishlei) in Hebrew and English

14:1Every wise woman builds her house: but the foolish plucks it down with her hands.

אחַכְמ֣וֹת נָ֭שִׁים בָּנְתָ֣ה בֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝אִוֶּ֗לֶת בְּיָדֶ֥יהָ תֶהֶרְסֶֽנּוּ׃

14:2He that walks in his uprightness fears Hashem: but he that is perverse in his ways despises Him.

בהוֹלֵ֣ךְ בְּ֭יָשְׁרוֹ יְרֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה וּנְל֖וֹז דְּרָכָ֣יו בּוֹזֵֽהוּ׃

14:3In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

גבְּֽפִי־אֱ֭וִיל חֹ֣טֶר גַּאֲוָ֑ה וְשִׂפְתֵ֥י חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים תִּשְׁמוּרֵֽם׃

14:4Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

דבְּאֵ֣ין אֲ֭לָפִים אֵב֣וּס בָּ֑ר וְרָב־תְּ֝בוּא֗וֹת בְּכֹ֣חַ שֽׁוֹר׃

14:5A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

העֵ֣ד אֱ֭מוּנִים לֹ֣א יְכַזֵּ֑ב וְיָפִ֥יחַ כְּ֝זָבִ֗ים עֵ֣ד שָֽׁקֶר׃

14:6A scorner seeks wisdom, and finds it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understands.

ובִּקֶּשׁ־לֵ֣ץ חָכְמָ֣ה וָאָ֑יִן וְדַ֖עַת לְנָב֣וֹן נָקָֽל׃

14:7Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you perceive not in him the lips of knowledge.

זלֵ֣ךְ מִ֭נֶּגֶד לְאִ֣ישׁ כְּסִ֑יל וּבַל־יָ֝דַ֗עְתָּ שִׂפְתֵי־דָֽעַת׃

14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

חחָכְמַ֣ת עָ֭רוּם הָבִ֣ין דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְאִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃

14:9Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

טאֱ֭וִלִים יָלִ֣יץ אָשָׁ֑ם וּבֵ֖ין יְשָׁרִ֣ים רָצֽוֹן׃

14:10The heart knows his own bitterness; and a stranger does not intermeddle with his joy.

ילֵ֗ב י֭וֹדֵעַ מָרַּ֣ת נַפְשׁ֑וֹ וּ֝בְשִׂמְחָת֗וֹ לֹא־יִתְעָ֥רַב זָֽר׃

14:11The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

יאבֵּ֣ית רְ֭שָׁעִים יִשָּׁמֵ֑ד וְאֹ֖הֶל יְשָׁרִ֣ים יַפְרִֽיחַ׃

14:12There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

יביֵ֤שׁ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יָ֭שָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת׃

14:13Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

יגגַּם־בִּשְׂח֥וֹק יִכְאַב־לֵ֑ב וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖הּ שִׂמְחָ֣ה תוּגָֽה׃

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

ידמִדְּרָכָ֣יו יִ֭שְׂבַּע ס֣וּג לֵ֑ב וּ֝מֵעָלָ֗יו אִ֣ישׁ טֽוֹב׃

14:15The simple believes every word: but the prudent man looks well to his going.

טופֶּ֭תִי יַאֲמִ֣ין לְכָל־דָּבָ֑ר וְ֝עָר֗וּם יָבִ֥ין לַאֲשֻׁרֽוֹ׃

14:16A wise man fears, and departs from evil: but the fool rages, and is confident.

טזחָכָ֣ם יָ֭רֵא וְסָ֣ר מֵרָ֑ע וּ֝כְסִ֗יל מִתְעַבֵּ֥ר וּבוֹטֵֽחַ׃

14:17He that is soon angry deals foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

יזקְֽצַר־אַ֭פַּיִם יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה אִוֶּ֑לֶת וְאִ֥ישׁ מְ֝זִמּ֗וֹת יִשָּׂנֵֽא׃

14:18The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

יחנָחֲל֣וּ פְתָאיִ֣ם אִוֶּ֑לֶת וַֽ֝עֲרוּמִ֗ים יַכְתִּ֥רוּ דָֽעַת׃

14:19The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

יטשַׁח֣וּ רָ֭עִים לִפְנֵ֣י טוֹבִ֑ים וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים עַֽל־שַׁעֲרֵ֥י צַדִּֽיק׃

14:20The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich has many friends.

כגַּם־לְ֭רֵעֵהוּ יִשָּׂ֣נֵא רָ֑שׁ וְאֹהֲבֵ֖י עָשִׁ֣יר רַבִּֽים׃

14:21He that despises his neighbour sins: but he that has mercy on the humble, happy is he.

כאבָּז־לְרֵעֵ֥הוּ חוֹטֵ֑א וּמְחוֹנֵ֖ן עֲנָוִ֣ים (כתיב עניים) אַשְׁרָֽיו׃

14:22Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

כבהֲֽלוֹא־יִ֭תְעוּ חֹ֣רְשֵׁי רָ֑ע וְחֶ֥סֶד וֶ֝אֱמֶ֗ת חֹ֣רְשֵׁי טֽוֹב׃

14:23In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tends only to penury.

כגבְּכָל־עֶ֭צֶב יִהְיֶ֣ה מוֹתָ֑ר וּדְבַר־שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃

14:24The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.

כדעֲטֶ֣רֶת חֲכָמִ֣ים עָשְׁרָ֑ם אִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

14:25A true witness delivers souls: but a deceitful witness speaks lies.

כהמַצִּ֣יל נְ֭פָשׁוֹת עֵ֣ד אֱמֶ֑ת וְיָפִ֖חַ כְּזָבִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃

14:26In the fear of Hashem is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

כובְּיִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה מִבְטַח־עֹ֑ז וּ֝לְבָנָ֗יו יִהְיֶ֥ה מַחְסֶֽה׃

14:27The fear of Hashem is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

כזיִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים לָ֝ס֗וּר מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁי מָֽוֶת׃

14:28In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

כחבְּרָב־עָ֥ם הַדְרַת־מֶ֑לֶךְ וּבְאֶ֥פֶס לְ֝אֹ֗ם מְחִתַּ֥ת רָזֽוֹן׃

14:29He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly.

כטאֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם רַב־תְּבוּנָ֑ה וּקְצַר־ר֝֗וּחַ מֵרִ֥ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

14:30A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

לחַיֵּ֣י בְ֭שָׂרִים לֵ֣ב מַרְפֵּ֑א וּרְקַ֖ב עֲצָמ֣וֹת קִנְאָֽה׃

14:31He that oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker: but he that honours Him has mercy on the poor.

לאעֹ֣שֵֽׁק דָּ֭ל חֵרֵ֣ף עֹשֵׂ֑הוּ וּ֝מְכַבְּד֗וֹ חֹנֵ֥ן אֶבְיֽוֹן׃

14:32The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous has hope in his death.

לבבְּֽ֭רָעָתוֹ יִדָּחֶ֣ה רָשָׁ֑ע וְחֹסֶ֖ה בְמוֹת֣וֹ צַדִּֽיק׃

14:33Wisdom rests in the heart of him that has understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

לגבְּלֵ֣ב נָ֭בוֹן תָּנ֣וּחַ חָכְמָ֑ה וּבְקֶ֥רֶב כְּ֝סִילִ֗ים תִּוָּדֵֽעַ׃

14:34Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

לדצְדָקָ֥ה תְרֽוֹמֵֽם־גּ֑וֹי וְחֶ֖סֶד לְאֻמִּ֣ים חַטָּֽאת׃

14:35The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causes shame.

להרְֽצוֹן־מֶ֭לֶךְ לְעֶ֣בֶד מַשְׂכִּ֑יל וְ֝עֶבְרָת֗וֹ תִּהְיֶ֥ה מֵבִֽישׁ׃