The Folly of Wickedness

11 (A)Dishonest[a] scales are an abomination to the Lord,
But a [b]just weight is His delight.

When pride comes, then comes (B)shame;
But with the humble is wisdom.

The integrity of the upright will guide (C)them,
But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.
(D)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
But (E)righteousness delivers from death.
The righteousness of the blameless will [c]direct his way aright,
But the wicked will fall by his own (F)wickedness.
The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.

When a wicked man dies, his expectation will (G)perish,
And the hope of the unjust perishes.
(H)The righteous is delivered from trouble,
And it comes to the wicked instead.
The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
10 (I)When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;
And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
11 By the blessing of the upright the city is (J)exalted,
But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12 He who [d]is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor,
But a man of understanding holds his peace.

13 (K)A talebearer reveals secrets,
But he who is of a faithful spirit (L)conceals a matter.

14 (M)Where there is no counsel, the people fall;
But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

15 He who is (N)surety[e] for a stranger will suffer,
But one who hates [f]being surety is secure.

16 A gracious woman retains honor,
But ruthless men retain riches.
17 (O)The merciful man does good for his own soul,
But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.
18 The wicked man does deceptive work,
But (P)he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.
19 As righteousness leads to (Q)life,
So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own (R)death.
20 Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the Lord,
But the blameless in their ways are His delight.
21 (S)Though they join [g]forces, the wicked will not go unpunished;
But (T)the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.

22 As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout,
So is a lovely woman who lacks [h]discretion.

23 The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the expectation of the wicked (U)is wrath.

24 There is one who (V)scatters, yet increases more;
And there is one who withholds more than is right,
But it leads to poverty.
25 (W)The generous soul will be made rich,
(X)And he who waters will also be watered himself.
26 The people will curse (Y)him who withholds grain,
But (Z)blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

27 He who earnestly seeks good [i]finds favor,
(AA)But trouble will come to him who seeks evil.

28 (AB)He who trusts in his riches will fall,
But (AC)the righteous will flourish like foliage.

29 He who troubles his own house (AD)will inherit the wind,
And the fool will be (AE)servant to the wise of heart.

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And (AF)he who [j]wins souls is wise.

31 (AG)If the righteous will be [k]recompensed on the earth,
How much more the ungodly and the sinner.

The House of the Righteous Shall Stand

12 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
But he who hates correction is stupid.

A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.

A man is not established by wickedness,
But the (AH)root of the righteous cannot be moved.

(AI)An[l] excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who causes shame is (AJ)like rottenness in his bones.

The thoughts of the righteous are right,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
(AK)The words of the wicked are, “Lie in wait for blood,”
(AL)But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.

(AM)The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand.

A man will be commended according to his wisdom,
(AN)But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.

(AO)Better is the one who is [m]slighted but has a servant,
Than he who honors himself but lacks bread.

10 (AP)A righteous man regards the life of his animal,
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

11 (AQ)He who [n]tills his land will be satisfied with (AR)bread,
But he who follows [o]frivolity (AS)is devoid of [p]understanding.

12 The wicked covet the catch of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
13 (AT)The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
(AU)But the righteous will come through trouble.
14 (AV)A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth,
(AW)And the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.

15 (AX)The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who heeds counsel is wise.
16 (AY)A fool’s wrath is known at once,
But a prudent man covers shame.

17 (AZ)He who speaks truth declares righteousness,
But a false witness, deceit.
18 (BA)There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
19 The truthful lip shall be established forever,
(BB)But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
21 (BC)No grave [q]trouble will overtake the righteous,
But the wicked shall be filled with evil.
22 (BD)Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal truthfully are His delight.

23 (BE)A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.

24 (BF)The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.

25 (BG)Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,
But (BH)a good word makes it glad.

26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27 The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man’s precious possession.

28 In the way of righteousness is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:1 deceptive
  2. Proverbs 11:1 Lit. perfect stone
  3. Proverbs 11:5 Or make smooth or straight
  4. Proverbs 11:12 Lit. lacks heart
  5. Proverbs 11:15 guaranty
  6. Proverbs 11:15 those pledging guaranty, lit. those who strike hands
  7. Proverbs 11:21 Lit. hand to hand
  8. Proverbs 11:22 taste
  9. Proverbs 11:27 Lit. seeks
  10. Proverbs 11:30 Lit. takes, in the sense of brings, cf. 1 Sam. 16:11
  11. Proverbs 11:31 rewarded
  12. Proverbs 12:4 Lit. A wife of valor
  13. Proverbs 12:9 lightly esteemed
  14. Proverbs 12:11 works or cultivates
  15. Proverbs 12:11 Lit. vain things
  16. Proverbs 12:11 Lit. heart
  17. Proverbs 12:21 harm

11 The Lord detests dishonest scales,(A)
    but accurate weights find favor with him.(B)

When pride comes, then comes disgrace,(C)
    but with humility comes wisdom.(D)

The integrity of the upright guides them,
    but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.(E)

Wealth(F) is worthless in the day of wrath,(G)
    but righteousness delivers from death.(H)

The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,(I)
    but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.(J)

The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.(K)

Hopes placed in mortals die with them;(L)
    all the promise of[a] their power comes to nothing.(M)

The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
    and it falls on the wicked instead.(N)

With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
    but through knowledge the righteous escape.(O)

10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;(P)
    when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.(Q)

11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,(R)
    but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.(S)

12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,(T)
    but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.(U)

13 A gossip betrays a confidence,(V)
    but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.(W)

14 For lack of guidance a nation falls,(X)
    but victory is won through many advisers.(Y)

15 Whoever puts up security(Z) for a stranger will surely suffer,
    but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.(AA)

16 A kindhearted woman gains honor,(AB)
    but ruthless men gain only wealth.

17 Those who are kind benefit themselves,
    but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
    but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.(AC)

19 Truly the righteous attain life,(AD)
    but whoever pursues evil finds death.(AE)

20 The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,(AF)
    but he delights(AG) in those whose ways are blameless.(AH)

21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
    but those who are righteous will go free.(AI)

22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
    is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
    but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
    another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

25 A generous(AJ) person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.(AK)

26 People curse the one who hoards grain,
    but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.

27 Whoever seeks good finds favor,
    but evil comes to one who searches for it.(AL)

28 Those who trust in their riches will fall,(AM)
    but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.(AN)

29 Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise.(AO)

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,(AP)
    and the one who is wise saves lives.

31 If the righteous receive their due(AQ) on earth,
    how much more the ungodly and the sinner!

12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but whoever hates correction is stupid.(AR)

Good people obtain favor from the Lord,(AS)
    but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.(AT)

No one can be established through wickedness,
    but the righteous cannot be uprooted.(AU)

A wife of noble character(AV) is her husband’s crown,
    but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.(AW)

The plans of the righteous are just,
    but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
    but the speech of the upright rescues them.(AX)

The wicked are overthrown and are no more,(AY)
    but the house of the righteous stands firm.(AZ)

A person is praised according to their prudence,
    and one with a warped(BA) mind is despised.

Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
    than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,(BB)
    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

11 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies have no sense.(BC)

12 The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous endures.

13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,(BD)
    and so the innocent escape trouble.(BE)

14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,(BF)
    and the work of their hands brings them reward.(BG)

15 The way of fools seems right to them,(BH)
    but the wise listen to advice.(BI)

16 Fools(BJ) show their annoyance at once,(BK)
    but the prudent overlook an insult.(BL)

17 An honest witness tells the truth,
    but a false witness tells lies.(BM)

18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,(BN)
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.(BO)

19 Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
    but those who promote peace have joy.(BP)

21 No harm overtakes the righteous,(BQ)
    but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

22 The Lord detests lying lips,(BR)
    but he delights(BS) in people who are trustworthy.(BT)

23 The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,(BU)
    but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.(BV)

24 Diligent hands will rule,
    but laziness ends in forced labor.(BW)

25 Anxiety weighs down the heart,(BX)
    but a kind word cheers it up.

26 The righteous choose their friends carefully,
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.(BY)

27 The lazy do not roast[b] any game,
    but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.

28 In the way of righteousness there is life;(BZ)
    along that path is immortality.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:7 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate, Syriac and Targum When the wicked die, their hope perishes; / all they expected from
  2. Proverbs 12:27 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.