Proverbs 11
Expanded Bible
11 The Lord ·hates [detests] ·dishonest [fraudulent] scales,
but he is pleased with ·honest [accurate] weights [16:11; Lev. 19:35–37; Deut. 25:13–15; Ezek. 45:10; Hos. 12:7–8].
2 ·Pride [Insolence] leads only to shame;
it is wise to be humble.
3 ·Good people [People with integrity] will be guided by ·honesty [innocence];
dishonesty will ·destroy [devastate] those who are not trustworthy.
4 Riches will not help ·when it’s time to die [L on the day of anger],
but ·right living [righteousness] will save you from death.
5 The ·goodness [righteousness] of the innocent makes ·life easier [L their path straight],
but the wicked will ·be destroyed [L fall] by their wickedness.
6 ·Doing right [Righteousness] brings freedom to ·honest people [people with integrity],
but those who are not trustworthy will be caught by their own desires.
7 When the wicked die, hope ·dies with them [perishes];
their hope in riches ·will come to nothing [perishes].
8 The ·good [righteous] person is saved from ·trouble [distress];
it comes to the wicked instead.
9 With ·words [L their mouth] an ·evil [godless] person can destroy a neighbor,
but a ·good [righteous] person will escape by ·being resourceful [L their knowledge].
10 When ·good [righteous] people ·succeed [flourish], the city is happy.
When evil people ·die [perish], there are shouts of joy.
11 ·Good [Righteous] people bless and build up their city,
but the wicked can ·destroy [demolish] it with their ·words [L mouth].
12 People ·without good sense [who lack sense/heart] ·find fault with [despise; belittle] their neighbors,
but those with understanding keep quiet.
13 Gossips ·can’t keep [L go/walk around revealing] secrets,
but a trustworthy person ·can [keeps a confidence; L covers up a word].
14 Without ·leadership [guidance] a ·nation [people] falls,
but ·lots of good advice [L an abundance of counselors] will ·save it [bring victory; Eccl. 9:13–15].
15 Whoever guarantees to pay somebody else’s loan will suffer.
It is safer to avoid such promises.
16 A ·kind [gracious] woman gets ·respect [honor],
but ·cruel [violent] men get only wealth.
17 ·Kind [or Loyal] people ·do themselves a favor [benefit themselves],
but cruel people ·bring trouble on themselves [L harm their own bodies].
18 An evil person ·really earns nothing [gets false/deceptive wages],
but a ·good [righteous] person will surely be rewarded.
19 Those who are ·truly good [righteous] will live,
but those who chase after evil will die.
20 The Lord ·hates [detests] those with ·evil [crooked] hearts
but is pleased with those who are innocent on the path.
21 Evil people will certainly be punished,
but ·those who do right [L the children of the righteous] will be set free.
22 A beautiful woman without ·good sense [discretion]
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
23 Those who do right only wish for good,
but the wicked can ·expect to be defeated by God’s [L hope only for] anger.
24 Some people give much but get back even more.
Others don’t give what they should and end up poor.
25 Whoever ·gives to others will get richer [or blesses others will be refreshed];
those who ·help [satisfy] others will themselves be ·helped [satisfied].
26 People curse those who keep all the grain,
but they bless the one who is willing to sell it.
27 Whoever looks for good will find ·kindness [favor],
but whoever looks for evil will find trouble.
28 Those who trust in riches will ·be ruined [L fall],
but a good person will ·be healthy [flourish] like a green leaf.
29 Whoever brings trouble to his family
will ·be left with nothing but the [L inherit the] wind.
A fool will be a servant to the wise of heart.
30 ·A good person gives life to others [L The fruit of the righteous is the tree of life];
the wise person ·teaches others how to live [gathers lives/souls].
31 If ·good [righteous] people will get their due on earth,
How much more the wicked and the sinners.
Proverbs 11
New American Standard Bible
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
11 A (A)false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
But a (B)just weight is His delight.
2 When (C)pride comes, then comes dishonor;
But with the humble there is wisdom.
3 The (D)integrity of the upright will guide them,
But the (E)perversity of the treacherous will destroy them.
4 (F)Riches do not benefit on the day of wrath,
But (G)righteousness rescues from death.
5 The (H)righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way,
But (I)the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright will rescue them,
But the treacherous will (J)be caught by their own greed.
7 When a wicked person dies, his (K)expectation will perish,
And the (L)hope of strong people perishes.
8 The righteous is rescued from trouble,
But the wicked [a]takes his place.
9 With his (M)mouth the godless person destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge the (N)righteous will be rescued.
10 When things (O)go well for the righteous, the city rejoices,
And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
But by the mouth of the wicked, it is torn down.
12 One who despises his neighbor lacks [b]sense,
But a person of understanding keeps silent.
13 One (P)who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
But one who is [c]trustworthy (Q)conceals a matter.
14 Where there is no (R)guidance the people fall,
But in an abundance of counselors there is [d]victory.
15 One who is a (S)guarantor for a stranger will certainly suffer for it,
But one who hates [e]being a guarantor is secure.
16 A (T)gracious woman attains honor,
And ruthless men attain riches.
17 A (U)merciful person does [f]himself good,
But the cruel person [g]does himself harm.
18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
But one who (V)sows righteousness gets a true reward.
19 One who is steadfast in (W)righteousness attains life,
But (X)one who pursues evil attains his own death.
20 The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord,
But the (Y)blameless in their [h]walk are His (Z)delight.
21 [i]Be assured, the evil person will not go unpunished,
But the [j]descendants of the righteous will be rescued.
22 As a (AA)ring of gold in a pig’s snout
So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the (AB)expectation of the wicked is wrath.
24 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,
And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in poverty.
25 A [k](AC)generous person will be [l]prosperous,
And one who (AD)gives others plenty of water will himself be given plenty.
26 One who withholds grain, the (AE)people will curse him,
But (AF)blessing will be on the head of him who (AG)sells it.
27 One who diligently seeks good seeks favor,
But (AH)one who seeks evil, evil will come to him.
28 One who (AI)trusts in his riches will fall,
But (AJ)the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
29 One who (AK)troubles his own house will (AL)inherit wind,
And (AM)the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.
30 The fruit of the righteous is (AN)a tree of life,
And (AO)one who is wise [m]gains souls.
31 If (AP)the righteous will be repaid on the earth,
How much more the wicked and the sinner!
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:8 Lit enters
- Proverbs 11:12 Lit heart
- Proverbs 11:13 Lit faithful of spirit
- Proverbs 11:14 Lit deliverance
- Proverbs 11:15 Lit those who strike hands
- Proverbs 11:17 Lit his soul
- Proverbs 11:17 Lit ruins his flesh
- Proverbs 11:20 Lit way
- Proverbs 11:21 Lit Hand to hand
- Proverbs 11:21 Lit seed
- Proverbs 11:25 Lit soul of blessing
- Proverbs 11:25 Lit made fat
- Proverbs 11:30 Lit takes
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
