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11 The Lord detests dishonest scales,
    but delights in an accurate weight.
When pride comes, so does shame,
    but wisdom brings humility.
Integrity guides the virtuous,
    but dishonesty ruins the treacherous.
Riches don’t help in the day of wrath,
    but righteousness rescues from death.
The righteousness of the innocent makes their path straight,
    but the wicked fall in their wickedness.
Those who do right are saved by their righteousness,
    but the untrustworthy are caught by their own desires.
When the wicked die, their hope perishes.
    Yes, any hope based on money perishes.
The righteous are saved from distress,
    and the wicked take their place.
The godless destroy their neighbors by their words,
    but the righteous are saved by their knowledge.
10 When the righteous succeed, a city rejoices;
    when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
11 A city is honored by the blessing of the virtuous;
    it is destroyed by the words of the wicked.
12 Whoever despises their neighbor lacks sense;
    a sensible person keeps quiet.
13 A slanderer walks around revealing secrets,
    but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
14 Without guidance, a people will fall,
    but there is victory with many counselors.
15 Guaranteeing the debt of a stranger brings big trouble,
    but the one who refuses to shake hands will be secure.
16 A gracious woman gains honor;
    violent men gain only wealth.
17 Kind persons benefit themselves,
    but cruel people harm themselves.
18 The wicked earn false wages,
    but those who sow righteousness receive a true reward.
19 The righteous are headed toward life,
    but those who pursue evil, toward death.
20 The Lord detests a crooked heart,
    but he favors those whose path is innocent.
21 The evil person will surely not go unpunished,
    but the children of the righteous will escape.
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s nose
    is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
23 The desires of the righteous end up well,
    but the expectations of the wicked bring wrath.
24 Those who give generously receive more,
    but those who are stingy with what is appropriate will grow needy.
25 Generous persons will prosper;
    those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
26 People curse those who hoard grain,
    but they bless those[a] who sell it.
27 Those who look for good find favor,
    but those who seek evil—it will come to them.
28 Those who trust in their wealth will wither,
    but the righteous will thrive like leafy trees.
29 Those who trouble their family will inherit the wind.
    The fool will be servant to the wise.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
    and the wise gather lives.[b]
31 If the righteous receive their due on earth,
    how much more the wicked and sinners?

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:26 Or the heads of those
  2. Proverbs 11:30 Or LXX, Syr violence takes lives away

11 The Lord hates it when people use scales to cheat others.
    But he is delighted when people use honest weights.

When pride comes, shame follows.
    But wisdom comes to those who are not proud.

Those who do what is right are guided by their honest lives.
    But those who aren’t faithful are destroyed by their lies.

Wealth isn’t worth anything when God judges you.
    But doing what is right saves you from death.

The ways of honest people are made straight because they do what is right.
    But those who do what is wrong are brought down by their own sins.

Godly people are saved by doing what is right.
    But those who aren’t faithful are trapped by evil longings.

Hopes placed in human beings will die with them.
    Everything their power promised comes to nothing.

Those who do right are saved from trouble.
    But trouble comes on those who do wrong.

With their words ungodly people destroy their neighbors.
    But those who do what is right escape because of their knowledge.

10 When those who do right succeed, their city is glad.
    When those who do wrong die, people shout for joy.

11 The blessing of honest people builds up a city.
    But the words of sinners destroy it.

12 Whoever makes fun of their neighbor has no sense.
    But the one who has understanding controls their tongue.

13 Those who talk about others will tell secrets.
    But those who can be trusted keep the secrets of others.

14 Without guidance a nation falls.
    But many good advisers can bring victory to a nation.

15 Whoever promises to pay for what someone else owes will certainly suffer.
    But a person who doesn’t agree to pay someone else’s bill is safe.

16 A woman who has a kind heart gains honor.
    But men who are not kind gain only wealth.

17 Those who are kind benefit themselves.
    But mean people bring ruin on themselves.

18 An evil person really earns nothing.
    But the one who plants what is right will certainly be rewarded.

19 Surely right living leads to life.
    But whoever runs after evil finds death.

20 The Lord hates those whose hearts are twisted.
    But he is pleased with those who live without blame.

21 You can be sure that sinners will be punished.
    And you can also be sure that godly people will go free.

22 A beautiful woman who has no sense
    is like a gold ring in a pig’s nose.

23 What godly people long for ends only in what is good.
    But what sinners hope for ends only in God’s anger.

24 One person gives freely but gets even richer.
    Another person doesn’t give what they should but gets even poorer.

25 Anyone who gives a lot will succeed.
    Anyone who renews others will be renewed.

26 People ask for bad things to happen to those who store up grain for themselves.
    But people ask for God’s blessing on those who are willing to sell.

27 Anyone who looks for what is good will be blessed.
    But bad things will happen to a person who plans to do evil.

28 Those who trust in their riches will fall.
    But those who do right will be as healthy as a green leaf.

29 Those who bring ruin on their families will receive nothing but wind.
    And foolish people will serve wise people.

30 The fruit that godly people bear is like a tree of life.
    And those who are wise save lives.

31 Godly people get what they should get on earth.
    So ungodly people and sinners will certainly get what they should get!

11 The Lord detests dishonest scales,(A)
    but accurate weights find favor with him.(B)

When pride comes, then comes disgrace,(C)
    but with humility comes wisdom.(D)

The integrity of the upright guides them,
    but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.(E)

Wealth(F) is worthless in the day of wrath,(G)
    but righteousness delivers from death.(H)

The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,(I)
    but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.(J)

The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.(K)

Hopes placed in mortals die with them;(L)
    all the promise of[a] their power comes to nothing.(M)

The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
    and it falls on the wicked instead.(N)

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)

13 A gossip betrays a confidence,(V)
    but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.(W)

14 For lack of guidance a nation falls,(X)
    but victory is won through many advisers.(Y)

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)

19 Truly the righteous attain life,(AD)
    but whoever pursues evil finds death.(AE)

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.

25 A generous(AJ) person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.(AK)

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!

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:7 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate, Syriac and Targum When the wicked die, their hope perishes; / all they expected from

11 False scales are an abomination to Adonai,
    but accurate weights please him.

First comes pride, then disgrace;
    but with the humble is wisdom.

The integrity of the upright guides them,
    but the duplicity of the treacherous destroys them.

On the day of wrath, wealth doesn’t help;
    but righteousness rescues from death.

The righteousness of the innocent levels their way,
    but wickedness of the wicked makes them fall.
The righteousness of the upright rescues them,
    but the treacherous are trapped by their own intrigues.
When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes;
    what he hopes for from evil comes to nothing.
The righteous is delivered from trouble,
    and the wicked comes to take his place.
With his mouth the hypocrite can ruin his neighbor,
    but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
    and when the wicked perish, there is joy.
11 By the blessing of the upright, a city is raised up;
    but the words of the wicked tear it down.

12 He who belittles another lacks good sense,
    whereas a person of discernment stays silent.
13 A gossip goes around revealing secrets,
    but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

14 Without clever tactics an army is defeated,
    and victory comes from much planning.

15 He who guarantees a loan for a stranger will suffer,
    but refusing to underwrite is safe.

16 A gracious woman obtains honor;
    aggressive men obtain wealth.

17 A man who is kind does himself good,
    but the cruel does harm to himself.

18 The profits of the wicked are illusory;
    but those who sow righteousness gain a true reward.
19 Genuine righteousness leads to life,
    but the pursuer of evil goes to his own death.
20 The crooked-hearted are an abomination to Adonai,
    but those sincere in their ways are his delight.
21 Depend on it: the evil will not go unpunished;
    but the offspring of the righteous will escape.

22 Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig
    is a beautiful woman who lacks good sense.

23 The righteous desire only good,
    but what the wicked hope for brings wrath.

24 Some give freely and still get richer,
    while others are stingy but grow still poorer.
25 The person who blesses others will prosper;
    he who satisfies others will be satisfied himself.
26 The people will curse him who withholds grain;
    but if he sells it, blessings will be on his head.

27 He who strives for good obtains favor,
    but he who searches for evil — it comes to him!

28 He who trusts in his riches will fall,
    but the righteous will flourish like sprouting leaves.

29 Those who trouble their families inherit the wind,
    and the fool becomes slave to the wise.

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
    and he who is wise wins souls.
31 If the righteous are paid what they deserve here on earth,
    how much more the wicked and the sinner!