Proverbs 11-12

English Standard Version

11 ^(A)A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
    ^(B)but a just weight is his delight.
²^(C)When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
    but with ^(D)the humble is wisdom.
³^(E)The integrity of the upright guides them,
    ^(F)but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
⁴^(G)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
    ^(H)but righteousness delivers from death.
⁵The righteousness of the blameless ^(I)keeps his way straight,
    but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
⁶^(J)The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the treacherous ^(K)are taken captive by their lust.
⁷When the wicked dies, his ^(L)hope will perish,
    and ^(M)the expectation of wealth^[a] perishes too.
⁸^(N)The righteous is delivered from trouble,
    and the wicked walks into it instead.
⁹With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,
    but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
¹⁰^(O)When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
    and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.
¹¹By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
    but ^(P)by the mouth of the wicked ^(Q)it is overthrown.
¹²Whoever ^(R)belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
    but a man of understanding remains silent.
¹³Whoever ^(S)goes about slandering reveals secrets,
    but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
¹⁴Where there is ^(T)no guidance, a people falls,
    ^(U)but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
¹⁵^(V)Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,
    but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
¹⁶^(W)A gracious woman gets honor,
    and ^(X)violent men get riches.
¹⁷^(Y)A man who is kind benefits himself,
    but a cruel man hurts himself.
¹⁸The wicked earns deceptive wages,
    but one who ^(Z)sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
¹⁹Whoever is steadfast in righteousness ^(AA)will live,
    but ^(AB)he who pursues evil will die.
²⁰Those of ^(AC)crooked heart are ^(AD)an abomination to the Lord,
    but those of ^(AE)blameless ways are ^(AF)his delight.
²¹^(AG)Be assured, ^(AH)an evil person will not go unpunished,
    but ^(AI)the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
²²Like ^(AJ)a gold ring in a pig's snout
    is a beautiful woman without discretion.
²³The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
    ^(AK)the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
²⁴^(AL)One gives ^(AM)freely, yet grows all the richer;
    another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
²⁵^(AN)Whoever brings blessing ^(AO)will be enriched,
    and ^(AP)one who waters will himself be watered.
²⁶^(AQ)The people curse him who holds back grain,
    but ^(AR)a blessing is on the head of him who ^(AS)sells it.
²⁷Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,^[b]
    but evil comes to ^(AT)him who searches for it.
²⁸Whoever ^(AU)trusts in his riches will fall,
    but the righteous will ^(AV)flourish like a green leaf.
²⁹Whoever ^(AW)troubles his own household will ^(AX)inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
³⁰The fruit of the righteous is ^(AY)a tree of life,
    and whoever ^(AZ)captures souls is wise.
³¹If ^(BA)the righteous is repaid on earth,
    how much more the wicked and the sinner!
12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but he who ^(BB)hates reproof is ^(BC)stupid.
²A good man ^(BD)obtains favor from the Lord,
    but a man of evil devices he condemns.
³No one is established by wickedness,
    but the root of ^(BE)the righteous will never be moved.
⁴^(BF)An excellent wife is ^(BG)the crown of her husband,
    but she who ^(BH)brings shame is like ^(BI)rottenness in his bones.
⁵^(BJ)The thoughts of the righteous are just;
    the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
⁶The words of the wicked ^(BK)lie in wait for blood,
    but ^(BL)the mouth of the upright delivers them.
⁷^(BM)The wicked are ^(BN)overthrown and are no more,
    ^(BO)but the house of the righteous will stand.
⁸A man is commended according to his good sense,
    but one of twisted mind is ^(BP)despised.
⁹Better to be lowly and have a servant
    than to play the great man and lack bread.
¹⁰^(BQ)Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,
    but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
¹¹^(BR)Whoever works his land ^(BS)will have plenty of bread,
    ^(BT)but he who follows ^(BU)worthless pursuits lacks sense.
¹²Whoever is wicked covets ^(BV)the spoil of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
¹³An evil man is ensnared ^(BW)by the transgression of his lips,^[c]
    ^(BX)but the righteous escapes from trouble.
¹⁴From the fruit of his mouth ^(BY)a man is satisfied with good,
    ^(BZ)and the work of a man's hand comes back to him.
¹⁵^(CA)The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
    but a wise man listens to advice.
¹⁶^(CB)The vexation of a fool is known at once,
    but the prudent ignores an insult.
¹⁷^(CC)Whoever speaks^[d] the truth gives honest evidence,
    but ^(CD)a false witness utters deceit.
¹⁸^(CE)There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings ^(CF)healing.
¹⁹Truthful lips endure forever,
    but ^(CG)a lying tongue is but for a moment.
²⁰Deceit is in the heart of ^(CH)those who devise evil,
    but those who plan peace have joy.
²¹^(CI)No ill befalls the righteous,
    but the wicked are filled with trouble.
²²^(CJ)Lying lips are ^(CK)an abomination to the Lord,
    ^(CL)but those who act faithfully are his delight.
²³^(CM)A prudent man conceals knowledge,
    ^(CN)but the heart of fools proclaims folly.
²⁴^(CO)The hand of the diligent will rule,
    while the slothful will be ^(CP)put to forced labor.
²⁵^(CQ)Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down,
    but a good word makes him glad.
²⁶One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,^[e]
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
²⁷^(CR)Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,
    but the diligent man will get precious wealth.^[f]
²⁸^(CS)In the path of righteousness is life,
    and in its pathway there is no death.