Proverbs 11:1-31
11 A cheating pair of scales is something detestable to Jehovah,+ but a complete stone-weight is a pleasure to him.
2 Has presumptuousness come? Then dishonor will come;+ but wisdom is with the modest ones.+
3 The integrity of the upright ones is what leads them,+ but distortion by those dealing treacherously will despoil them.*+
4 Valuable things will be of no benefit on the day of fury,+ but righteousness itself will deliver from death.+
5 The righteousness of the blameless one is what will make his way straight,+ but in his own wickedness the wicked one will fall.+
6 The righteousness of the upright ones is what will deliver them,+ but by their* craving* those dealing treacherously will themselves be caught.+
7 When a wicked man* dies, [his] hope perishes;+ and even expectation [based] on powerfulness has perished.+
8 The righteous is the one rescued even from distress,+ and the wicked one comes in instead of him.+
9 By [his] mouth the one who is an apostate brings his fellowman to ruin,+ but by knowledge are the righteous rescued.+
10 Because of the goodness of the righteous ones a town is elated,+ but when the wicked ones perish there is a joyful cry.+
11 Because of the blessing of the upright ones a town is exalted,+ but because of the mouth of the wicked ones it gets torn down.+
12 The one in want of heart* has despised his own fellowman,+ but the man* of broad discernment is one that keeps silent.+
13 The one walking about as a slanderer+ is uncovering confidential talk,+ but the one faithful in spirit* is covering over a matter.+
14 When there is no skillful direction, the people fall;+ but there is salvation in the multitude of counselors.+
15 One will positively fare badly because he has gone surety for a stranger,+ but the one hating handshaking is keeping carefree.
16 A woman of charm is the one that takes hold of glory;*+ but the tyrants, for their part, take hold of riches.
17 A man of loving-kindness* is dealing rewardingly with his own soul,+ but the cruel person is bringing ostracism upon his own organism.+
18 The wicked one is making false wages,*+ but the one sowing righteousness, true earnings.*+
19 The one firmly standing for righteousness* is in line for life,+ but the one chasing after what is bad is in line for his own death.+
20 Those crooked at heart are something detestable to Jehovah,+ but the ones blameless in [their] way are a pleasure to him.+
21 Though hand be to hand, a bad person will not go unpunished;+ but the offspring of the righteous ones will certainly escape.+
22 As a gold nose ring in the snout of a pig, so is a woman that is pretty but that is turning away from sensibleness.*+
23 The desire of the righteous ones is surely good;+ the hope of the wicked ones is fury.+
24 There exists the one that is scattering and yet is being increased;+ also the one that is keeping back from what is right, but it results only in want.+
25 The generous soul* will itself be made fat,+ and the one freely watering [others] will himself also be freely watered.+
26 The one holding back grain—the populace will execrate him, but there is a blessing for the head of the one letting it be bought.+
27 He that is looking for good will keep seeking goodwill;+ but as for the one searching for bad, it will come upon him.+
28 The one trusting in his riches—he himself will fall;+ but just like foliage the righteous ones will flourish.+
29 As for anyone bringing ostracism upon his own house,+ he will take possession of wind;+ and a foolish person will be a servant to the one wise in heart.
30 The fruitage of the righteous one is a tree of life,+ and he that is winning souls is wise.+
31 Look! The righteous one—in the earth he will be rewarded.+ How much more should the wicked one and the sinner be!+
Footnotes
^ “Will despoil them,” according to MmarginVg.
^ “Their,” TLXXSyVg; M omits.
^ “Destruction,” LXX.
^ Or, “earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.
^ “But the man of.” Heb., weʼishʹ.
^ Or, “lacking good motive.” Heb., chasar-levʹ.
^ “Spirit.” Heb., ruʹach; Gr., pno·eiʹ, “breath”; Lat., aʹni·mi.
^ Or, “honor.”
^ Or, “loyal love.”
^ “False wages,” that is, the reward for bad activity. Heb., pheʽul·lath-shaʹqer.
^ “True earnings,” that is, the reward for good activity. Heb., seʹkher ʼemethʹ.
^ “The one firmly standing for righteousness,” by a correction of M; T, “Thus whoever does righteousness”; LXXSy (reading ben for ken), “A son of righteousness (righteous son).”
^ Or, “tastefulness; good taste.”
^ Lit., “The soul with a blessing gift.”
