Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
Parallel translations
- WEB Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
- KJV Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
- ESV The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
- NKJV The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
- NASB The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
- NLT A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A wise woman builds up her household, but a foolish one tears it down. Wisdom or folly profoundly shapes the home.
Overview
This proverb personifies wisdom and folly through the image of women who either build or destroy their houses, highlighting the immense influence of wise living within the family. The 'house' includes both the physical home and the family's well-being and legacy. The wise builder echoes Christ's call to build one's life on the rock of His words (Matthew 7:24).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Prov 31:10–31A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
- Prov 24:3–4By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
- Prov 21:9Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
- Prov 21:19Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.
- Ruth 4:11“We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you be prosperous in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.
- Prov 9:13–15The woman named Folly is loud; she is naive and knows nothing.
- Prov 19:13A foolish son is his father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.
- 1 Kgs 16:31And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve and worship Baal.
- 2 Kgs 11:1When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs.
- 1 Kgs 21:24–25Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 14:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.