Proverbs 11

¹A false balance is an abomination to the LORD,

but accurate weights are his delight.

²When pride comes, then comes shame,

but with humility comes wisdom.

³The integrity of the upright shall guide them,

but the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

⁴Riches don’t profit in the day of wrath,

but righteousness delivers from death.

⁵The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way,

but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

⁶The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them,

but the unfaithful will be trapped by evil desires.

⁷When a wicked man dies, hope perishes,

and expectation of power comes to nothing.

⁸A righteous person is delivered out of trouble,

and the wicked takes his place.

⁹With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbour,

but the righteous will be delivered through knowledge.

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

When the wicked perish, there is shouting.

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

but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

¹²One who despises his neighbour is void of wisdom,

but a man of understanding holds his peace.

¹³One who brings gossip betrays a confidence,

but one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who keeps a secret.

¹⁴Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls,

but in the multitude of counsellors there is victory.

¹⁵He who is collateral for a stranger will suffer for it,

but he who refuses pledges of collateral is secure.

¹⁶A gracious woman obtains honour,

but violent men obtain riches.

¹⁷The merciful man does good to his own soul,

but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

¹⁸Wicked people earn deceitful wages,

but one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

¹⁹He who is truly righteous gets life.

He who pursues evil gets death.

²⁰Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD,

but those whose ways are blameless are his delight.

²¹Most certainly, the evil man will not be unpunished,

but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.

²²Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout,

is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

²³The desire of the righteous is only good.

The expectation of the wicked is wrath.

²⁴There is one who scatters, and increases yet more.

There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.

²⁵The liberal soul shall be made fat.

He who waters shall be watered also himself.

²⁶People curse someone who withholds grain,

but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

²⁷He who diligently seeks good seeks favour,

but he who searches after evil, it shall come to him.

²⁸He who trusts in his riches will fall,

but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.

²⁹He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind.

The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

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

He who is wise wins souls.

³¹Behold, the righteous shall be repaid in the earth,

how much more the wicked and the sinner!