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Read the Bible

Brenton's Septuagint

Proverbs 14:1

Wise women build houses: but a foolish one digs hers down with her hands.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Family;   Fool;   Wife;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Virtues;   Wise;   Women;   The Topic Concordance - Foolishness;   Wisdom;   Women;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Crib;   Proverbs, Book of;   Rhetoric;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Women;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Buildeth;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Every wise woman builds her house,
Hebrew Names Version
Every wise woman builds her house, But the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
King James Version
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
English Standard Version
The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
New American Standard Bible
The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
New Century Version
A wise woman strengthens her family, but a foolish woman destroys hers by what she does.
New English Translation
Every wise woman builds her household, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
Amplified Bible
The wise woman builds her house [on a foundation of godly precepts, and her household thrives], But the foolish one [who lacks spiritual insight] tears it down with her own hands [by ignoring godly principles].
World English Bible
Every wise woman builds her house, But the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish destroyeth it with her owne handes.
Legacy Standard Bible
The wise woman builds her house,But the woman of folly tears it down with her own hands.
Berean Standard Bible
Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Contemporary English Version
A woman's family is held together by her wisdom, but it can be destroyed by her foolishness.
Complete Jewish Bible
Every wise woman builds up her home, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Darby Translation
The wisdom of women buildeth their house; but folly plucketh it down with her hands.
Easy-to-Read Version
A wise woman makes her home what it should be, but the home of a foolish woman is destroyed by her own actions.
George Lamsa Translation
A WISE woman builds her house; but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
Good News Translation
Homes are made by the wisdom of women, but are destroyed by foolishness.
Lexham English Bible
The wisest of women builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her hands.
Literal Translation
A wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her own hands.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A wyse woma vpholdeth hir house, but a foolish wife plucketh it downe.
American Standard Version
Every wise woman buildeth her house; But the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
Bible in Basic English
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Every wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
King James Version (1611)
Euery wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it downe with her hands.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wyse women vpholde their house: but a foolishe wyfe plucketh it downe.
English Revised Version
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A wijs womman bildith hir hous; and an unwijs womman schal distrie with hondis an hous bildid.
Update Bible Version
Every wise woman builds her house; But the foolish plucks it down with her own hands.
Webster's Bible Translation
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
New King James Version
The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
New Living Translation
A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
New Life Bible
The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
New Revised Standard
The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Every, wise woman, buildeth up her house, but, a foolish one, with her own hands, would break it down.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish will pull down with her hands that also which is built.
Revised Standard Version
Wisdom builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
Young's Literal Translation
Every wise woman hath builded her house, And the foolish with her hands breaketh it down.
THE MESSAGE
Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home; Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

Contextual Overview

1 Wise women build houses: but a foolish one digs hers down with her hands.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wise: Proverbs 24:3, Proverbs 24:4, Proverbs 31:10-31, Ruth 4:11

the foolish: Proverbs 9:13-15, Proverbs 19:13, Proverbs 21:9, Proverbs 21:19, 1 Kings 16:31, 1 Kings 21:24, 1 Kings 21:25, 2 Kings 11:1

Reciprocal: Exodus 35:25 - General 1 Samuel 25:3 - good 2 Samuel 7:11 - he will make Proverbs 12:4 - virtuous Proverbs 12:7 - the house Proverbs 31:27 - General Ecclesiastes 10:18 - General Matthew 7:26 - doeth 1 Timothy 5:14 - guide

Cross-References

Genesis 10:22
Sons of Sem, Elam, and Assur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Cainan.
Genesis 11:2
And it came to pass as they moved from the east, they found a plain in the land of Senaar, and they dwelt there.
Isaiah 11:11
And it shall be in that day, that the Lord shall again shew his hand, to be zealous for the remnant that is left of the people, which shall be left by the Assyrians, and that from Egypt, and from the country of Babylon, and from Ethiopia, and from the Elamites, and from the rising of the sun, and out of Arabia.
Isaiah 21:2
so a fearful and a grievous vision was declared to me: he that is treacherous deals treacherously, the transgressor transgresses. The Elamites are upon me, and the ambassadors of the Persians come against me: now will I groan and comfort myself.
Isaiah 22:6
And the Elamites took their quivers, and there were men mounted on horses, and there was a gathering for battle.
Isaiah 37:12
Have the gods of the nations which my fathers destroyed delivered them, both Gozan, and Charrhan, and Rapheth, which are in the land of Theemath?
Ezekiel 32:24
There is Ælam and all his host round about his tom: all the slain that fell by the sword, and the uncircumcised that go down to the deep of the earth, who caused their fear to be upon the land of the living: and they have received their punishment with them that go down to the pit,
Daniel 1:2
And the Lord gave into his hand Joakim king of Juda, and part of the vessels of the house of God: and he brought them into the land of Sennaar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god.
Zechariah 5:11
And he said to me, To build it a house in the land of Babylon, and to prepare a place for it; and they shall set it there on its own base.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Every wise woman buildeth her house,.... Not only by her fruitfulness, as Leah and Rachel built up the house of Israel; but by her good housewifery, prudent economy; looking well to the ways of her household; guiding the affairs of her house with discretion; keeping all things in a good decorum; and bringing up her children in virtue, and in the fear and admonition of the Lord. So Christ, who in this book goes by the name of "Wisdom", or the wise woman, builds his house upon himself, the Rock; and all his people on their most holy faith, by means of the ministry of the word, and administration of ordinances: he guides and governs his house, where he is, as a Son in it and over it; and of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, taken care of, and wisely and plentifully provided for: and so Gospel ministers, who are wise to win souls, being well instructed in the kingdom of God; these "wise women" y, so it is in the original text, or wise virgins; these wise master builders lay the foundation Christ ministerially, and build souls on it; and speak things to the edification of the church and people of God, and the building of them up in faith and holiness;

but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands; the Vulgate Latin version adds, "being built"; this she does by her idleness and laziness; by her lavish and profuse way of living; by her negligence and want of economy; by her frequenting playhouses, and attention to other diversions; and so her family and the affairs of it go to wreck and ruin. Thus the apostate church of Rome, who is called a "woman", and may be said to be a "foolish" one, being a wicked one and a harlot; see Revelation 17:2; pulls down the true church and house of God with both hands, as much as in her lies, by her false doctrines, and superstitious worship and idolatry; and by her murders and massacres of the saints, with the blood of whom she is said to be drunk; nay, not only pulls it down with her hands, but treads upon it with her feet,

Revelation 11:2. So likewise all false teachers do as this foolish woman does, by their impure lives and impious doctrines, defile the temple of God, subvert the faith of many; by means of whom the tabernacle of David, or house of God, is fallen down; the ruins and breaches of which Christ will repair in the latter day.

y חכמות נשים "sapientes mulieres", Munster, Baynus; so the Septuagint and Arabic versions.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Every 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XIV

Various moral sentiments. The antithesis between wisdom and

folly, and the different effects of each.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIV

Verse Proverbs 14:1. Every 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.


 
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