Proverbs 11
Legacy Standard Bible
11 A (A)deceptive balance is an abomination to Yahweh,
But a (B)just weight is His delight.
2 When (C)arrogance comes, then comes disgrace,
But with the meek is wisdom.
3 The (D)integrity of the upright will lead them,
But the (E)crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.
4 (F)Wealth will not profit in the day of wrath,
But (G)righteousness will deliver from death.
5 The (H)righteousness of the blameless will make his way straight,
But (I)the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the treacherous will (J)be captured by their own desire.
7 When a wicked man dies, his (K)hope will perish,
And the (L)expectation of vigorous men perishes.
8 The righteous is rescued from [a]distress,
But the wicked [b]takes his place.
9 With his (M)mouth the godless man corrupts his neighbor,
But through knowledge the (N)righteous will be rescued.
10 When it (O)goes well with the righteous, the city exults,
And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is raised up,
But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
12 He who despises his neighbor lacks a heart of wisdom,
But a man of discernment keeps silent.
13 He (P)who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
But he who is faithful in spirit (Q)conceals a matter.
14 Where there is no (R)guidance the people fall,
But in abundance of counselors there is salvation.
15 If one becomes a (S)guarantor for a stranger, he will surely suffer,
But he who hates [c]striking hands in pledge is secure.
16 A (T)gracious woman holds fast to glory,
But ruthless men hold fast to riches.
17 The man of (U)lovingkindness deals bountifully with his soul,
But the cruel man brings trouble on his flesh.
18 The wicked earns deceptive wages,
But he who (V)sows righteousness gets a true reward.
19 He who is steadfast in (W)righteousness will attain to life,
And (X)he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.
20 Those with a crooked heart are an abomination to Yahweh,
But those of a (Y)blameless way are His (Z)delight.
21 [d]Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished,
But the seed of the righteous will escape.
22 As a (AA)ring of gold in a swine’s snout
So is a beautiful woman who turns away from [e]discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the (AB)hope of the wicked is wrath.
24 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,
And there is one who holds back what is rightly due, and yet results only in want.
25 The soul [f]that (AC)blesses will be [g]enriched,
And he who (AD)waters will himself be watered.
26 He who withholds grain, the (AE)people will curse him,
But (AF)blessing will be on the head of him who (AG)sells it.
27 He who earnestly seeks good seeks favor,
But (AH)he who searches for evil, evil will come to him.
28 He who (AI)trusts in his riches will fall,
But (AJ)the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
29 He who (AK)troubles his own house will (AL)inherit wind,
And (AM)the ignorant fool will be a slave to the wise of heart.
30 The fruit of the righteous is (AN)a tree of life,
And (AO)he who is wise [h]wins souls.
31 If (AP)the righteous will be repaid in the earth,
How much more the wicked and the sinner!
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:8 Or trouble
- Proverbs 11:8 Lit enters
- Proverbs 11:15 Or being a guarantor
- Proverbs 11:21 Lit Hand to hand
- Proverbs 11:22 Lit taste
- Proverbs 11:25 Lit of blessing
- Proverbs 11:25 Lit made fat
- Proverbs 11:30 Lit takes
Proverbs 11
New Living Translation
11 The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales,
but he delights in accurate weights.
2 Pride leads to disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
3 Honesty guides good people;
dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
4 Riches won’t help on the day of judgment,
but right living can save you from death.
5 The godly are directed by honesty;
the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.
6 The godliness of good people rescues them;
the ambition of treacherous people traps them.
7 When the wicked die, their hopes die with them,
for they rely on their own feeble strength.
8 The godly are rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.
9 With their words, the godless destroy their friends,
but knowledge will rescue the righteous.
10 The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed;
they shout for joy when the wicked die.
11 Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper,
but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.
12 It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor;
a sensible person keeps quiet.
13 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.
14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls;
there is safety in having many advisers.
15 There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt;
it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.
16 A gracious woman gains respect,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 Your kindness will reward you,
but your cruelty will destroy you.
18 Evil people get rich for the moment,
but the reward of the godly will last.
19 Godly people find life;
evil people find death.
20 The Lord detests people with crooked hearts,
but he delights in those with integrity.
21 Evil people will surely be punished,
but the children of the godly will go free.
22 A beautiful woman who lacks discretion
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
23 The godly can look forward to a reward,
while the wicked can expect only judgment.
24 Give freely and become more wealthy;
be stingy and lose everything.
25 The generous will prosper;
those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
26 People curse those who hoard their grain,
but they bless the one who sells in time of need.
27 If you search for good, you will find favor;
but if you search for evil, it will find you!
28 Trust in your money and down you go!
But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.
29 Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind.
The fool will be a servant to the wise.
30 The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life;
a wise person wins friends.[a]
31 If the righteous are rewarded here on earth,
what will happen to wicked sinners?[b]
Footnotes
- 11:30 Or and those who win souls are wise.
- 11:31 Greek version reads If the righteous are barely saved, / what will happen to godless sinners? Compare 1 Pet 4:18.
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
