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Proverbs 11-13
New American Standard Bible
Proverbs 11-13
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!
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
12 One who loves [n]discipline loves knowledge,
But one who hates rebuke is stupid.
2 A (AQ)good person will obtain favor from the Lord,
But He will condemn a person [o]who devises evil.
3 A person will (AR)not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the (AS)righteous will not be moved.
4 An [p](AT)excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him is like (AU)rottenness in his bones.
5 The thoughts of the righteous are just,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
6 The (AV)words of the wicked wait in ambush for blood,
But the (AW)mouth of the upright will rescue them.
7 The (AX)wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the (AY)house of the righteous will stand.
8 A person will be praised according to his insight,
But one of perverse [q]mind will be despised.
9 Better is one who is lightly esteemed and has a servant,
Than one who honors himself and lacks bread.
10 A (AZ)righteous person has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
11 One (BA)who works his land will have plenty of bread,
But one who pursues worthless things lacks [r]sense.
12 The (BB)wicked person desires the [s]plunder of evil people,
But the root of the righteous (BC)yields fruit.
13 [t]An evil person is ensnared by the offense of his lips,
But the (BD)righteous will escape from trouble.
14 A person will be (BE)satisfied with good by the fruit of his [u]words,
And the (BF)deeds of a person’s hands will return to him.
15 The (BG)way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But a person who listens to advice is wise.
16 A (BH)fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent person conceals dishonor.
17 One who declares truth tells what is right,
But a false witness, deceit.
18 There is one who (BI)speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the (BJ)tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips will endure forever,
But a (BK)lying tongue is only for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
21 (BL)No harm happens to the righteous,
But the wicked are filled with trouble.
22 (BM)Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal faithfully are His delight.
23 A (BN)prudent person conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.
24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the [v]lazy hand will be (BO)put to forced labor.
25 (BP)Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down,
But a (BQ)good word makes it glad.
26 The righteous person is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27 [w]A lazy person does not [x]roast his prey,
But the (BR)precious possession of a person is diligence.
28 (BS)In the way of righteousness there is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
13 A (BT)wise son accepts his father’s discipline,
But a (BU)scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of a person’s mouth he [y](BV)enjoys good,
But the [z]desire of the treacherous is (BW)violence.
3 One who (BX)guards his mouth protects his life;
One who (BY)opens wide his lips [aa]comes to ruin.
4 The soul of the [ab]lazy one craves and gets nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is made [ac]prosperous.
5 A righteous person (BZ)hates a false statement,
But a wicked person [ad](CA)acts disgustingly and shamefully.
6 Righteousness (CB)guards the [ae]one whose way is blameless,
But wickedness brings the [af]sinner to ruin.
7 There is one who (CC)pretends to be rich but has nothing;
Another pretends to be (CD)poor, but has great wealth.
8 The ransom of a person’s life is his wealth,
But the poor hears no rebuke.
9 The (CE)light of the righteous [ag]rejoices,
But the (CF)lamp of the wicked goes out.
10 Through overconfidence [ah]comes nothing but strife,
But wisdom is with those who receive counsel.
11 Wealth obtained from [ai]nothing dwindles,
But one who gathers [aj]by labor increases it.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire [ak]fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 One who (CG)despises the word will do badly,
But one who fears the commandment will be (CH)rewarded.
14 The [al]teaching of the wise is a (CI)fountain of life,
To turn aside from the (CJ)snares of death.
15 (CK)Good understanding produces favor,
But the way of the treacherous is [am]their own disaster.
16 Every (CL)prudent person acts with knowledge,
But a fool [an]displays foolishness.
17 A wicked messenger falls into adversity,
But (CM)a faithful messenger brings healing.
18 Poverty and shame will come to one who (CN)neglects [ao]discipline,
But one who complies with rebuke will be honored.
19 Desire realized is sweet to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.
20 (CO)One who walks with wise people will be wise,
But a companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 (CP)Adversity pursues sinners,
But the (CQ)righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.
22 A good person (CR)leaves an inheritance to his [ap]grandchildren,
And the (CS)wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.
23 (CT)Abundant food is in the uncultivated ground of the poor,
But [aq]it is swept away by injustice.
24 He who (CU)withholds his [ar]rod hates his son,
But he who loves him [as](CV)disciplines him diligently.
25 The (CW)righteous [at]has enough to satisfy his appetite,
But the stomach of the (CX)wicked is in need.
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
- Proverbs 12:1 Or instruction
- Proverbs 12:2 Lit of evil devices
- Proverbs 12:4 Or virtuous
- Proverbs 12:8 Lit heart
- Proverbs 12:11 Lit heart
- Proverbs 12:12 Lit net (for trapping prey); another reading is mountain stronghold
- Proverbs 12:13 Lit In the offense of the lips is an evil snare
- Proverbs 12:14 Lit mouth
- Proverbs 12:24 Lit idle
- Proverbs 12:27 Lit An indolent
- Proverbs 12:27 Or catch
- Proverbs 13:2 Lit eats
- Proverbs 13:2 Lit soul
- Proverbs 13:3 Lit ruin is his
- Proverbs 13:4 Lit idle
- Proverbs 13:4 Lit fat
- Proverbs 13:5 Lit causes a bad odor and causes shame
- Proverbs 13:6 Lit blamelessness of way
- Proverbs 13:6 Lit sin
- Proverbs 13:9 I.e., shines brightly
- Proverbs 13:10 Lit gives
- Proverbs 13:11 Prob. referring to fraud
- Proverbs 13:11 Lit by hand
- Proverbs 13:12 Lit coming
- Proverbs 13:14 Or law
- Proverbs 13:15 Cf. LXX in destruction; MT constant
- Proverbs 13:16 Lit spreads out
- Proverbs 13:18 Or instruction
- Proverbs 13:22 Lit sons’ sons
- Proverbs 13:23 Lit there is what is swept
- Proverbs 13:24 I.e., correction or discipline
- Proverbs 13:24 Lit seeks him diligently with discipline
- Proverbs 13:25 Lit eats to the satisfaction of his soul
Proverbs 11-13
New International Version
Proverbs 11-13
New International Version
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.(E)
5 The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,(I)
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.(J)
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.(K)
8 The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.(N)
9 With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.(O)
10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;(P)
when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.(Q)
11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,(R)
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.(S)
12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,(T)
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.(U)
15 Whoever puts up security(Z) for a stranger will surely suffer,
but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.(AA)
16 A kindhearted woman gains honor,(AB)
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 Those who are kind benefit themselves,
but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.(AC)
20 The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,(AF)
but he delights(AG) in those whose ways are blameless.(AH)
21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will go free.(AI)
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
26 People curse the one who hoards grain,
but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
27 Whoever seeks good finds favor,
but evil comes to one who searches for it.(AL)
28 Those who trust in their riches will fall,(AM)
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.(AN)
29 Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.(AO)
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,(AP)
and the one who is wise saves lives.
31 If the righteous receive their due(AQ) on earth,
how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but whoever hates correction is stupid.(AR)
3 No one can be established through wickedness,
but the righteous cannot be uprooted.(AU)
4 A wife of noble character(AV) is her husband’s crown,
but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.(AW)
5 The plans of the righteous are just,
but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.
6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.(AX)
8 A person is praised according to their prudence,
and one with a warped(BA) mind is despised.
9 Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
than pretend to be somebody and have no food.
10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,(BB)
but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
11 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies have no sense.(BC)
12 The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
but the root of the righteous endures.
14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,(BF)
and the work of their hands brings them reward.(BG)
17 An honest witness tells the truth,
but a false witness tells lies.(BM)
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
but those who promote peace have joy.(BP)
21 No harm overtakes the righteous,(BQ)
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
24 Diligent hands will rule,
but laziness ends in forced labor.(BW)
25 Anxiety weighs down the heart,(BX)
but a kind word cheers it up.
26 The righteous choose their friends carefully,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.(BY)
27 The lazy do not roast[b] any game,
but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.
28 In the way of righteousness there is life;(BZ)
along that path is immortality.
13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.(CA)
2 From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,(CB)
but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.
3 Those who guard their lips(CC) preserve their lives,(CD)
but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.(CE)
4 A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,(CF)
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
5 The righteous hate what is false,(CG)
but the wicked make themselves a stench
and bring shame on themselves.
6 Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.(CH)
7 One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;(CI)
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.(CJ)
8 A person’s riches may ransom their life,
but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.(CK)
9 The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.(CL)
10 Where there is strife, there is pride,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.(CM)
11 Dishonest money dwindles away,(CN)
but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.(CO)
13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,(CP)
but whoever respects(CQ) a command is rewarded.(CR)
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,(CS)
turning a person from the snares of death.(CT)
15 Good judgment wins favor,
but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.[c]
18 Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,(CY)
but whoever heeds correction is honored.(CZ)
19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,(DA)
but fools detest turning from evil.
20 Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.(DB)
22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.(DF)
23 An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
but injustice sweeps it away.
24 Whoever spares the rod(DG) hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline(DH) them.(DI)
25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,
but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.(DJ)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:7 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate, Syriac and Targum When the wicked die, their hope perishes; / all they expected from
- Proverbs 12:27 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Proverbs 13:15 Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Proverbs 13:16 Or prudent protect themselves through
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