11 耶和华憎恶骗人的天平,
    喜爱公平的砝码。
傲慢带来羞辱,
    谦卑者有智慧。
正直人靠诚实引导,
    奸诈者被奸诈毁灭。
在降怒之日,财富毫无益处,
    唯有公义能救人免于死亡。
纯全人行义走坦途,
    恶人作恶致沉沦。
正直人被义行所救,
    奸诈者被私欲所掳。
恶人一死,他的希望就破灭,
    他对财势的冀望转眼成空。
义人脱离患难,
    恶人落入苦难。
不敬虔的张口败坏邻舍,
    义人却因知识获得拯救。
10 义人亨通,全城快乐;
    恶人灭亡,人人欢呼。
11 城因正直人的祝福而兴盛,
    因恶人的口舌而倾覆。
12 无知者轻视邻舍,
    明哲人保持缄默。
13 嚼舌者泄露秘密,
    忠信者守口如瓶。
14 缺乏智谋,国必败亡;
    谋士众多,战无不胜。
15 为他人作保,必受亏损;
    厌恶当保人,得享平安。
16 贤淑的女子得到尊荣,
    残暴的男子得到资财。
17 仁慈的人造福自己,
    残酷的人惹祸上身。
18 恶人赚来的转眼成空,
    播种公义的必获奖赏。
19 坚持行义,必得生命;
    追逐罪恶,终必灭亡。
20 心术不正的人令耶和华憎恶,
    纯全无过的人蒙耶和华喜爱。
21 恶人终必落入法网,
    义人的子孙必得拯救。
22 女子貌美无内涵,
    如同猪鼻挂金环。
23 义人的愿望结出善果,
    恶人的希望招致烈怒。
24 有人乐善好施,反倒越来越富;
    有人一毛不拔,反而越来越穷。
25 慷慨好施的必得昌盛,
    恩待他人的必蒙恩待。
26 囤粮不卖,惹人咒诅;
    乐意卖粮,必蒙祝福。
27 寻求良善得恩惠,
    追求罪恶遭祸患。
28 倚仗财势者必衰败,
    义人必兴旺如绿叶。
29 祸害自家,必一无所有,
    愚人必做智者的仆役。
30 义人结果如生命之树,
    智者深得人心。
31 看啊!义人在世上尚且遭报[a]
    更何况罪人和恶人呢?

Footnotes

  1. 11:31 义人在世上尚且遭报”七十士译本为“义人尚且难以得救”,参见彼得前书4:18

11 The Lord hates false scales, but he loves accurate weights.

Proud and boastful people will be shamed, but wisdom stays with those who are modest and humble.

Good people are guided by their honesty, but crooks who lie and cheat will ruin themselves.

Money is worthless when you face God’s punishment, but living right will save you from death.

Doing right makes life better for those who are good, but the wicked are destroyed by their own wicked ways.

Doing right sets honest people free, but people who can’t be trusted are trapped by their greed.

When the wicked die, all their hopes are lost; everything they thought they could do comes to nothing.

Good people escape from trouble, but the wicked come along and are trapped by it.

With their words hypocrites can destroy their neighbors. But with what they know, good people can escape.

10 When good people are successful, the whole city is happy, and they all shout with joy when evil people are destroyed.

11 Blessings from the honest people living in a city will make it great, but the things evil people say can destroy it.

12 Stupid people say bad things about their neighbors.[a] Wise people know to be quiet.

13 People who tell secrets about others cannot be trusted. Those who can be trusted keep quiet.

14 A nation without wise leaders will fall. Many good advisors make a nation safe.

15 You will be sorry if you promise to pay a stranger’s debt. Refuse to make such promises and you will be safe.

16 A kind and gentle woman gains respect, but violent men gain only wealth.

17 People who are kind will be rewarded for their kindness, but cruel people will be rewarded with trouble.

18 The work of evil people is all lies, but those who do right will receive a good reward.[b]

19 People who do what is right are on their way to life, but those who always want to do wrong are on their way to death.

20 The Lord hates those who love to do evil, but he is pleased with those who try to do right.

21 The truth is, evil people will be punished, and good people will be set free.

22 A beautiful woman without good sense is like a gold ring in a pig’s nose.

23 What good people want brings more good. What evil people want brings more trouble.

24 Some people give freely and gain more; others refuse to give and end up with less.

25 Give freely, and you will profit. Help others, and you will gain more for yourself.

26 People curse a greedy man who refuses to sell his grain, but they bless a man who sells his grain to feed others.

27 People are pleased with those who try to do good. Those who look for trouble will find it.

28 Those who trust in their riches will fall like dead leaves, but good people will blossom.

29 Those who cause trouble for their families will inherit nothing but the wind. A foolish person will end up as a servant to one who is wise.

30 What good people produce is like a life-giving tree. Those who are wise give new life to others.[c]

31 If good people are rewarded here on earth, then surely those who do evil will also get what they deserve.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:12 Stupid people … neighbors Or “The neighbors hate a stupid person.”
  2. Proverbs 11:18 This is a wordplay in Hebrew. The word “lies” sounds like the word “reward.”
  3. Proverbs 11:30 Or, according to one ancient version, “The fruit of a good man is a tree of life, but a violent man takes lives.”

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!

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