Tuesday 8th November 2022

14The wise woman^* builds her house,
   but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
² Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord,
   but one who is devious in conduct despises him.
³ The talk of fools is a rod for their backs,^*
   but the lips of the wise preserve them.
⁴ Where there are no oxen, there is no grain;
   abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
⁵ A faithful witness does not lie,
   but a false witness breathes out lies.
⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
   but knowledge is easy for one who understands.
⁷ Leave the presence of a fool,
   for there you do not find words of knowledge.
⁸ It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go,
   but the folly of fools misleads.
⁹ Fools mock at the guilt-offering,^*
   but the upright enjoy God’s favour.
¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness,
   and no stranger shares its joy.
¹¹ The house of the wicked is destroyed,
   but the tent of the upright flourishes.
¹² There is a way that seems right to a person,
   but its end is the way to death.^*
13 Even in laughter the heart is sad,
   and the end of joy is grief.
¹⁴ The perverse get what their ways deserve,
   and the good, what their deeds deserve.^*
15 The simple believe everything,
   but the clever consider their steps.
¹⁶ The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,
   but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.
¹⁷ One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly,
   and the schemer is hated.
¹⁸ The simple are adorned with^* folly,
   but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹ The evil bow down before the good,
   the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
²⁰ The poor are disliked even by their neighbours,
   but the rich have many friends.
²¹ Those who despise their neighbours are sinners,
   but happy are those who are kind to the poor.
²² Do they not err that plan evil?
   Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.
²³ In all toil there is profit,
   but mere talk leads only to poverty.
²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wisdom,^*
   but folly is the garland^* of fools.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
   but one who utters lies is a betrayer.
²⁶ In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
   and one’s children will have a refuge.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
   so that one may avoid the snares of death.
²⁸ The glory of a king is a multitude of people;
   without people a prince is ruined.
²⁹ Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
   but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
³⁰ A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh,
   but passion makes the bones rot.
³¹ Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
   but those who are kind to the needy honour him.
³² The wicked are overthrown by their evildoing,
   but the righteous find a refuge in their integrity.^*
33 Wisdom is at home in the mind of one who has understanding,
   but it is not^* known in the heart of fools.
³⁴ Righteousness exalts a nation,
   but sin is a reproach to any people.
³⁵ A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favour,
   but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

NRSV