Sharper Iron — Wisdom and Instruction: Wisdom Builds Upon Christ (Rebroadcast)

14 The wisest of women builds her house,
    but folly with her own hands tears it down.
² Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
    but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
³ By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,^[a]
    but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
⁴ Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
    but 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 a man of understanding.
⁷ Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
⁸ The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceiving.
⁹ Fools mock at the guilt offering,
    but the upright enjoy acceptance.^[b]
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no stranger shares its joy.
¹¹ The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
¹² There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.^[c]
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
    and the end of joy may be grief.
¹⁴ The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
    and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
¹⁵ The simple believes everything,
    but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
¹⁶ One who is wise is cautious^[d] and turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and careless.
¹⁷ A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
    and a man of evil devices is hated.
¹⁸ The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
¹⁹ The evil bow down before the good,
    the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
²⁰ The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
    but the rich has many friends.
²¹ Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
    but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
²² Do they not go astray who devise evil?
    Those who devise good meet^[e] steadfast love and faithfulness.
²³ In all toil there is profit,
    but mere talk tends only to poverty.
²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the folly of fools brings folly.
²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
    but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
²⁶ In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
    and his children will have a refuge.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
    that one may turn away from the snares of death.
²⁸ In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
    but without people a prince is ruined.
²⁹ Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
³⁰ A tranquil^[f] heart gives life to the flesh,
    but envy^[g] makes the bones rot.
³¹ Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
    but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
³² The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
    but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
³³ Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
    but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.^[h]
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
    but sin is a reproach to any people.
³⁵ A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor,
    but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.