Proverbs 11

¹A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,

but an accurate weight is his delight.

²When pride comes, then comes disgrace;

but wisdom is with the humble.

³The integrity of the upright guides them,

but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

⁴Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,

but righteousness delivers from death.

⁵The righteousness of the blameless keeps their ways straight,

but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.

⁶The righteousness of the upright saves them,

but the treacherous are taken captive by their schemes.

⁷When the wicked die, their hope perishes,

and the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.

⁸The righteous are delivered from trouble,

and the wicked get into it instead.

⁹With their mouths the godless would destroy their neighbors,

but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.

¹⁰When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;

and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.

¹¹By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,

but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

¹²Whoever belittles another lacks sense,

but an intelligent person remains silent.

¹³A gossip goes about telling secrets,

but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.

¹⁴Where there is no guidance, a nation falls,

but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

¹⁵To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble,

but there is safety in refusing to do so.

¹⁶A gracious woman gets honor,

but she who hates virtue is covered with shame.

The timid become destitute,

but the aggressive gain riches.

¹⁷Those who are kind reward themselves,

but the cruel do themselves harm.

¹⁸The wicked earn no real gain,

but those who sow righteousness get a true reward.

¹⁹Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,

but whoever pursues evil will die.

²⁰Crooked minds are an abomination to the Lord,

but those of blameless ways are his delight.

²¹Be assured, the wicked will not go unpunished,

but those who are righteous will escape.

²²Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout

is a beautiful woman without good sense.

²³The desire of the righteous ends only in good;

the expectation of the wicked in wrath.

²⁴Some give freely, yet grow all the richer;

others withhold what is due, and only suffer want.

²⁵A generous person will be enriched,

and one who gives water will get water.

²⁶The people curse those who hold back grain,

but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.

²⁷Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,

but evil comes to the one who searches for it.

²⁸Those who trust in their riches will wither,

but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.

²⁹Those who trouble their households will inherit wind,

and the fool will be servant to the wise.

³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

but violence takes lives away.

³¹If the righteous are repaid on earth,

how much more the wicked and the sinner!