11 (A)A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
    (B)but a just weight is his delight.
(C)When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
    but with (D)the humble is wisdom.
(E)The integrity of the upright guides them,
    (F)but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
(G)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
    (H)but righteousness delivers from death.
The righteousness of the blameless (I)keeps his way straight,
    but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
(J)The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the treacherous (K)are taken captive by their lust.
When the wicked dies, his (L)hope will perish,
    and (M)the expectation of wealth[a] perishes too.
(N)The righteous is delivered from trouble,
    and the wicked walks into it instead.
With 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.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
    but (P)by the mouth of the wicked (Q)it is overthrown.
12 Whoever (R)belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
    but a man of understanding remains silent.
13 Whoever (S)goes about slandering reveals secrets,
    but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
14 Where 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.
18 The wicked earns deceptive wages,
    but one who (Z)sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness (AA)will live,
    but (AB)he who pursues evil will die.
20 Those 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.
22 Like (AJ)a gold ring in a pig's snout
    is a beautiful woman without discretion.
23 The 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.
27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,[b]
    but evil comes to (AT)him who searches for it.
28 Whoever (AU)trusts in his riches will fall,
    but the righteous will (AV)flourish like a green leaf.
29 Whoever (AW)troubles his own household will (AX)inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
30 The fruit of the righteous is (AY)a tree of life,
    and whoever (AZ)captures souls is wise.
31 If (BA)the righteous is repaid on earth,
    how much more the wicked and the sinner!

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:7 Or of his strength, or of iniquity
  2. Proverbs 11:27 Or acceptance

11 Dishonest scales are detestable to the Lord,(A)
but an accurate weight is his delight.(B)

When arrogance comes, disgrace follows,
but with humility comes wisdom.(C)

The integrity of the upright guides them,(D)
but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them.(E)

Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath,
but righteousness rescues from death.(F)

The righteousness of the blameless clears his path,
but the wicked person will fall because of his wickedness.

The righteousness of the upright rescues them,
but the treacherous are trapped by their own desires.(G)

When the wicked person dies,
his expectation comes to nothing,
and hope placed in wealth[a][b] vanishes.(H)

The righteous one is rescued from trouble;
in his place, the wicked one goes in.(I)

With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor,
but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

10 When the righteous thrive, a city rejoices;(J)
when the wicked die, there is joyful shouting.(K)

11 A city is built up by the blessing of the upright,(L)
but it is torn down by the mouth of the wicked.(M)

12 Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks sense,
but a person with understanding keeps silent.(N)

13 A gossip goes around revealing a secret,
but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.(O)

14 Without guidance, a people will fall,
but with many counselors there is deliverance.(P)

15 If someone puts up security for a stranger,
he will suffer for it,(Q)
but the one who hates such agreements is protected.

16 A gracious woman gains honor,
but violent[c] people gain only riches.

17 A kind man benefits himself,(R)
but a cruel person brings ruin on himself.(S)

18 The wicked person earns an empty wage,
but the one who sows righteousness, a true reward.(T)

19 Genuine righteousness leads to life,(U)
but pursuing evil leads to death.(V)

20 Those with twisted minds are detestable to the Lord,
but those with blameless conduct are his delight.(W)

21 Be assured[d] that a wicked person
will not go unpunished,(X)
but the offspring of the righteous will escape.

22 A beautiful woman who rejects good sense
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.(Y)

23 The desire of the righteous turns out well,(Z)
but the hope of the wicked leads to wrath.(AA)

24 One person gives freely,
yet gains more;(AB)
another withholds what is right,
only to become poor.(AC)

25 A generous person will be enriched,(AD)
and the one who gives a drink of water
will receive water.(AE)

26 People will curse(AF) anyone who hoards grain,
but a blessing will come to the one who sells it.(AG)

27 The one who searches for what is good(AH) seeks favor,
but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him.(AI)

28 Anyone trusting in his riches will fall,(AJ)
but the righteous will flourish like foliage.(AK)

29 The one who brings ruin on his household(AL)
will inherit the wind,(AM)
and a fool will be a slave
to someone whose heart is wise.

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,(AN)
but a cunning person takes lives.(AO)

31 If the righteous will be repaid on earth,
how much more the wicked and sinful.(AP)

Footnotes

  1. 11:7 LXX reads hope of the ungodly
  2. 11:7 Or strength
  3. 11:16 Or ruthless
  4. 11:21 Lit Hand to hand