11 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but an accurate weight is his delight.(A)
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but wisdom is with the humble.(B)
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.(C)
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.(D)
5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps their ways straight,
but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright saves them,
but the treacherous are taken captive by their schemes.(E)
7 When the wicked die, hope perishes,
and the expectation of strength comes to nothing.(F)
8 The righteous are delivered from trouble,
and the wicked come into it instead.(G)
9 With their mouths the godless would destroy their neighbors,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.(H)
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.(I)
12 Whoever belittles another lacks sense,
but an intelligent person remains silent.(J)
13 A gossip goes about telling secrets,
but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.(K)
14 Where there is no guidance, a nation[a] falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.(L)
15 To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble,
but there is safety in refusing to do so.
16 A gracious woman gets honor,
but she who hates virtue is covered with shame.[b]
The timid become destitute,[c]
but the aggressive gain riches.(M)
17 Those who are kind reward themselves,
but the cruel do themselves harm.
18 The wicked earn no real gain,
but those who sow righteousness get a true reward.(N)
19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,
but whoever pursues evil will die.
20 Crooked minds are an abomination to the Lord,
but those of blameless ways are his delight.(O)
21 Be assured, the wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will escape.(P)
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman without good sense.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
24 Some give freely yet grow all the richer;
others withhold what is due and only suffer want.(Q)
25 A generous person will be enriched,
and one who gives water will get water.(R)
26 The people curse those who hold back grain,
but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.(S)
27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,
but evil comes to the one who searches for it.(T)
28 Those who trust in their riches will wither,[d]
but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.(U)
29 Those who trouble their households will inherit wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and the wise capture souls.(V)
31 If the righteous are repaid on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner!(W)
Footnotes
- 11.14Or an army
- 11.16Compare Gk Syr: Heb lacks but she . . . shame
- 11.16Gk: Heb lacks The timid . . . destitute
- 11.28Cn: Heb fall
Cross references
- 11.1 : Lev 19.35; Deut 25.13–16
- 11.2 : Prov 16.18
- 11.3 : Prov 13.6
- 11.4 : Gen 7.1; Ezek 7.19; Zeph 1.18
- 11.6 : Eccl 10.8
- 11.7 : Prov 10.28
- 11.8 : Prov 21.18
- 11.10 : Prov 28.12
- 11.11 : Prov 29.8
- 11.12 : Prov 10.19; 14.21
- 11.13 : Lev 19.6; Prov 19.11; 20.19; 1 Tim 5.13
- 11.14 : Prov 15.22; 20.18; 24.6
- 11.16 : Prov 31.30
- 11.18 : Hos 10.12; Gal 6.8, 9
- 11.20 : Ps 119.1; Prov 12.22
- 11.21 : Ps 112.2; Prov 16.5
- 11.24 : Prov 13.7; 19.17
- 11.25 : Mt 5.7; 2 Cor 9.6–10
- 11.26 : Job 29.13; Am 8.5, 6
- 11.27 : Esth 7.10; Ps 7.15; 10.2
- 11.28 : Ps 1.3; 52.7; Jer 17.8; Mk 10.24; 1 Tim 6.17
- 11.30 : 1 Cor 9.19; Jas 5.20
- 11.31 : 2 Sam 22.21, 25; Prov 13.21