New International Version
Proverbs 14:1
1The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
Proverbs 14:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
- New Living Translation (NLT)A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
Context of Proverbs 14:1
The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. 2Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways. 3A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them.
Read all of Proverbs 14Proverbs 14:1 word by word
חַכְמ֣וֹת נָ֭שִׁים בָּנְתָ֣ה בֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝אִוֶּ֗לֶת בְּיָדֶ֥יהָ תֶהֶרְסֶֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 14:1
- Proverbs 9:13Folly is an unruly woman; she is simple and knows nothing.
- Proverbs 19:13A foolish child is a father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof.
- Proverbs 21:9Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
- 1 Kings 16:31He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him.
- 1 Kings 21:24“Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country.”
- 2 Kings 11:1When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.
Commentaries on Proverbs 14:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Every wise woman buildeth her house - By her prudent and industrious management she increases property in the family, furniture in the house, and food and raiment for her household. This is the true building of a house. The thriftless wife acts differently, and the opposite is the result. Household furniture, far from being increased, is dilapidated; and her household are ill-fed, ill-clothed, and worse educated.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Every wise woman - literally, Wise women. The fullest recognition that has as yet met us of the importance of woman, for good or evil, in all human society.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Verse 1 A woman who has no fear of God, who is wilful and wasteful, and indulges her ease, will as certainly ruin her family, as if she plucked her house down.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Building or tearing down a home is a metaphor for making a family stronger or weaker.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-35Pr 14:1-35. 1. Every wise, &c.--literally, "The wisdoms" (compare Pr 9:1) "of women," plural, a distributive form of speech. buildeth ... house--increases wealth, which the foolish, by mismanagement, lessen.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 14:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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