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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.