Proverbs 11
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.
5 The 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.
7 When 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.
9 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
- Proverbs 11:7 Or of his strength, or of iniquity
- Proverbs 11:27 Or acceptance
Proverbs 11
Young's Literal Translation
11 Balances of deceit [are] an abomination to Jehovah, And a perfect weight [is] His delight.
2 Pride hath come, and shame cometh, And with the lowly [is] wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright leadeth them, And the perverseness of the treacherous destroyeth them.
4 Wealth profiteth not in a day of wrath, And righteousness delivereth from death.
5 The righteousness of the perfect maketh right his way, And by his wickedness doth the wicked fall.
6 The righteousness of the upright delivereth them, And in mischief the treacherous are captured.
7 In the death of a wicked man, hope perisheth, And the expectation of the iniquitous hath been lost.
8 The righteous from distress is drawn out, And the wicked goeth in instead of him.
9 With the mouth a hypocrite corrupteth his friend, And by knowledge the righteous are drawn out.
10 In the good of the righteous a city exulteth, And in the destruction of the wicked [is] singing.
11 By the blessing of the upright is a city exalted, And by the mouth of the wicked thrown down.
12 Whoso is despising his neighbour lacketh heart, And a man of understanding keepeth silence.
13 A busybody is revealing secret counsel, And the faithful of spirit is covering the matter.
14 Without counsels do a people fall, And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counsellors.
15 Evil [one] suffereth when he hath been surety [for] a stranger, And whoso is hating suretyship is confident.
16 A gracious woman retaineth honour, And terrible [men] retain riches.
17 A kind man is rewarding his own soul, And the fierce is troubling his own flesh.
18 The wicked is getting a lying wage, And whoso is sowing righteousness -- a true reward.
19 Rightly [is] righteousness for life, And whoso is pursuing evil -- for his own death.
20 An abomination to Jehovah [are] the perverse of heart, And the perfect of the way [are] His delight.
21 Hand to hand, the wicked is not acquitted, And the seed of the righteous hath escaped.
22 A ring of gold in the nose of a sow -- A fair woman and stubborn of behaviour.
23 The desire of the righteous [is] only good, The hope of the wicked [is] transgression.
24 There is who is scattering, and yet is increased, And who is keeping back from uprightness, only to want.
25 A liberal soul is made fat, And whoso is watering, he also is watered.
26 Whoso is withholding corn, the people execrate him, And a blessing [is] for the head of him who is selling.
27 Whoso is earnestly seeking good Seeketh a pleasing thing, And whoso is seeking evil -- it meeteth him.
28 Whoso is confident in his wealth he falleth, And as a leaf, the righteous flourish.
29 Whoso is troubling his own house inheriteth wind, And a servant [is] the fool to the wise of heart.
30 The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life, And whoso is taking souls [is] wise.
31 Lo, the righteous in the earth is recompensed, Surely also the wicked and the sinner!
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
