¹ False scales are an abomination to the Lord,
    but a true weight is pleasing to him.
² When pride is nurtured, disgrace soon follows,
    but wisdom is the hallmark of the humble.
³ The upright are guarded by their integrity;
    the treacherous are destroyed by their own duplicity.
⁴ Riches will be of no avail on the day of wrath,^[b]
    but righteousness delivers from death.
⁵ The virtue of the honest man keeps his way straight,
    whereas the evil man falls as a result of his wickedness.
⁶ The righteousness of the upright saves them,
    but the treacherous are trapped by their own schemes.
⁷ When a wicked man dies, all his expectations die with him,
    and the hope he placed in his riches comes to nought.
⁸ The righteous man escapes affliction,
    and the wicked man incurs it instead.
⁹ With his mouth the godless man seeks to ruin his neighbor,
    but knowledge enables the righteous to be delivered.
¹⁰ The city rejoices when the upright prosper,
    and when the wicked are ruined, there is exultation.
¹¹ Through the blessing of the righteous a city is raised,
    but it is destroyed by the mouth of the wicked.
¹² A man who lacks sense belittles a neighbor,
    but an intelligent man remains silent.
¹³ One who gossips reveals secrets,
    but a trustworthy man keeps things hidden.
¹⁴ For lack of leadership a nation collapses;
    safety is assured with a multitude of advisers.
¹⁵ Whoever puts up bail for a stranger will suffer loss,
    but the one who refuses to do so will be safe.
¹⁶ A gracious woman acquires honor,
    while the woman who hates virtue is covered with shame.
Those who are lazy become destitute,
    but those who are diligent gain wealth.^[c]
17 A kind man benefits himself,
    whereas a cruel man hurts himself.
¹⁸ The labors of the wicked man produce little profit,
    but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
¹⁹ Whoever is steadfast in righteousness finds life,
    but the one who pursues evil is on the road to death.
²⁰ Those with perverse hearts are abhorrent to the Lord,
    but those whose ways are blameless are dear to him.
²¹ You need have no fear that the wicked will not be punished,
    but those who are righteous will escape harm.
²² Like a ring of gold^[d] in a pig’s snout
    is a beautiful woman without good sense.
²³ The righteous desire only what is good;
    the expectation of the wicked ends in wrath.
²⁴ One man gives lavishly and increases his wealth,
    while another is tight-fisted and ends up impoverished.^[e]
25 A generous person will be enriched;
    he who refreshes others will also be refreshed.
²⁶ The people curse those who hoard grain,
    but the one who sells it earns their blessing.
²⁷ Whoever strives for good earns great acclaim,
    but the one who pursues evil will be afflicted by it.
²⁸ Whoever places his trust in riches will fall,
    but the righteous will flourish like sprouting leaves.
²⁹ Whoever causes trouble for his family inherits the wind,
    and a fool will become a servant to the wise man.
³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
    and the wise man wins souls.^[f]
31 If the just man receives his deserts on earth,
    how much more will the wicked and the sinner!