Proverbs 11:1–31

¹A cheating pair of scales is something detestable to Jehovah, but a complete stone‐weight is a pleasure to him.

²Has presumptuousness come? Then dishonor will come; but wisdom is with the modest ones.

³The integrity of the upright ones is what leads them, but distortion by those dealing treacherously will despoil them.

⁴Valuable things will be of no benefit on the day of fury, but righteousness itself will deliver from death.

⁵The righteousness of the blameless one is what will make his way straight, but in his own wickedness the wicked one will fall.⁶The righteousness of the upright ones is what will deliver them, but by their craving those dealing treacherously will themselves be caught.

⁷When a wicked man dies, [his] hope perishes; and even expectation [based] on powerfulness has perished.

⁸The righteous is the one rescued even from distress, and the wicked one comes in instead of him.

⁹By [his] mouth the one who is an apostate brings his fellowman to ruin, but by knowledge are the righteous rescued.

¹⁰Because of the goodness of the righteous ones a town is elated, but when the wicked ones perish there is a joyful cry.

¹¹Because of the blessing of the upright ones a town is exalted, but because of the mouth of the wicked ones it gets torn down.

¹²The one in want of heart has despised his own fellowman, but the man of broad discernment is one that keeps silent.

¹³The one walking about as a slanderer is uncovering confidential talk, but the one faithful in spirit is covering over a matter.

¹⁴When there is no skillful direction, the people fall; but there is salvation in the multitude of counselors.

¹⁵One will positively fare badly because he has gone surety for a stranger, but the one hating handshaking is keeping carefree.

¹⁶A woman of charm is the one that takes hold of glory; but the tyrants, for their part, take hold of riches.

¹⁷A man of loving‐kindness is dealing rewardingly with his own soul, but the cruel person is bringing ostracism upon his own organism.

¹⁸The wicked one is making false wages, but the one sowing righteousness, true earnings.

¹⁹The 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.

²⁰Those crooked at heart are something detestable to Jehovah, but the ones blameless in [their] way are a pleasure to him.

²¹Though hand be to hand, a bad person will not go unpunished; but the offspring of the righteous ones will certainly escape.

²²As a gold nose ring in the snout of a pig, so is a woman that is pretty but that is turning away from sensibleness.

²³The desire of the righteous ones is surely good; the hope of the wicked ones is fury.

²⁴There 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.

²⁵The generous soul will itself be made fat, and the one freely watering [others] will himself also be freely watered.

²⁶The one holding back grain—the populace will execrate him, but there is a blessing for the head of the one letting it be bought.

²⁷He that is looking for good will keep seeking goodwill; but as for the one searching for bad, it will come upon him.

²⁸The one trusting in his riches—he himself will fall; but just like foliage the righteous ones will flourish.

²⁹As 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.

³⁰The fruitage of the righteous one is a tree of life, and he that is winning souls is wise.

³¹Look! The righteous one—in the earth he will be rewarded. How much more should the wicked one and the sinner be!