Proverbs 11
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
11 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but an accurate weight is his delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace;
but wisdom is with the humble.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
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.
7 When the wicked die, their hope perishes,
and the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.
8 The righteous are delivered from trouble,
and the wicked get into it instead.
9 With their mouths the godless would destroy their neighbours,
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.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
12 Whoever belittles another lacks sense,
but an intelligent person remains silent.
13 A gossip goes about telling secrets,
but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.
14 Where there is no guidance, a nation[a] falls,
but in an abundance of counsellors there is safety.
15 To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble,
but there is safety in refusing to do so.
16 A gracious woman gets honour,
but she who hates virtue is covered with shame.[b]
The timid become destitute,[c]
but the aggressive gain riches.
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.
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.
21 Be assured, the wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will escape.
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.
25 A generous person will be enriched,
and one who gives water will get water.
26 The people curse those who hold back grain,
but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.
27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favour,
but evil comes to the one who searches for it.
28 Those who trust in their riches will wither,[d]
but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.
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,
but violence[e] takes lives away.
31 If the righteous are repaid on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner!
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:14 Or an army
- Proverbs 11:16 Compare Gk Syr: Heb lacks but she . . . shame
- Proverbs 11:16 Gk: Heb lacks The timid . . . destitute
- Proverbs 11:28 Cn: Heb fall
- Proverbs 11:30 Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb a wise man
Mishle 11
Orthodox Jewish Bible
11 A balance of mirmah (dishonesty, deception) is abomination to Hashem, but an even shelemah (perfect stone, just weight) is His ratzon.
2 When zadon (pride) cometh, then cometh kalon (shame, disgrace), but with the humble is chochmah.
3 The integrity of the yesharim (upright ones) shall guide them, but the deceit of the bogedim (treacherous ones) shall destroy them.
4 Hon (riches) profit not in the yom evrah (day of wrath), but tzedakah (righteousness) delivereth from mavet.
5 The tzidkat tamim (righteousness of the blameless) shall make his derech straight, but the rasha shall fall by his own evil.
6 The tzidkat yesharim shall deliver them, but bogedim (treacherous ones) shall be caught in their own evil desire.
7 At the mot adam rasha, his tikveh shall perish, and the expectation of his [surviving] strong ones perisheth.
8 The tzaddik is delivered out of tzoros, but the rashah cometh on to take his place.
9 A chanef (hypocrite, man without G-d) with his peh (mouth) destroyeth his re’a, but through da’as (knowledge) shall the tzaddikim be delivered.
10 When it goeth well with the tzaddikim, the city rejoiceth, and when the resha’im perish, there is rinnah (joyful shouting).
11 By the birkat yesharim the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the peh (mouth) of the resha’im.
12 He that is devoid of lev [of understanding] despiseth his re’a, but an ish tevunot holdeth his peace.
13 A bringer of rekhil (gossip, rekhilut) revealeth sod (secrets, confidences), but he that is of a ne’eman ruach concealeth the matter.
14 Where no strategic policy is, the nation falls, but in the multitude of yoetz (counsellors, advisors) there is teshu’ah (victory, safety).
15 He that is guaranty for a zar shall suffer for it, and he that hateth pledging collateral is secure.
16 An eshet chen retaineth kavod (honor, respect), but ruthless men retain osher.
17 The ish chesed (merciful man) doeth good to his own nefesh, but he that is cruel harmeth his own self.
18 The reshah worketh a wage of sheker, but to him that soweth tzedakah (righteousness) shall be a sachar emes (sure reward).
19 As tzedakah (righteousness) leadeth to Chayyim, so he that pursueth ra’ah pursueth it to his own mot (death).
20 They that are of a perverse lev are an abomination to Hashem, but such as are upright in their derech are His delight.
21 Though yad join in yad, the rah shall not go unpunished, but the zera of the tzaddikim shall be delivered.
22 As a ring of zahav in the snout of a chazir, so is an isha yafah which is without ta’am (judgment, discretion).
23 The ta’avat tzaddikim is only tov, but the tikveh of the resha’im is wrath.
24 There is that which scattereth, and yet increaseth more; and there is that which withholdeth more than is yosher, but it leadeth to machsor (want, need, poverty).
25 The nefesh brocha (generous person) shall be made to prosper, and he that watereth shall be refreshed also himself.
26 He that withholdeth grain, the people shall curse him, but brocha shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
27 He that diligently seeketh tov procureth ratzon, but he that seeketh ra’ah, it shall come unto him.
28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the tzaddik shall flourish like the green leaf.
29 He that troubleth his own bais shall inherit the ruach (wind), and the fool shall be eved to the chacham lev.
30 The p’ri tzedek is Etz Chayyim, and he that winneth nefashot is chacham (wise).
31 If the tzaddik are recompensed on ha’aretz (the earth), much more the rashah and the choteh (sinner).
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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