Proverbs 11
1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.
Yahweh detests [people who use] scales that do not weigh correctly; he is delighted with [those who use] correct weights on the scales.
2 When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.
[People who are] proud will [eventually] be disgraced; it is wise to be humble.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the faithless destroys them.
[People who are] good are guided by [doing what is] honest; those who are not honest will be ruined because of the wrong things that they do.
4 Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
[Your] money will not help [you] on the day that [God] judges [and punishes people]; but if you live righteously, you will live a long time.
5 The righteousness of the blameless directs their path, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
When people are honest and good, that will (direct their paths/show them what is right for them to do); but wicked [people will] experience disasters because of the evil things that they do.
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the faithless are trapped by their own desires.
[God] rescues/protects righteous [people] because they (are honest/do what is right), but those who (are treacherous/cannot be trusted) will be trapped because of their being greedy.
7 When the wicked man dies, his hope perishes, and the hope of his strength vanishes.
When wicked [people] die, they cannot confidently expect to receive anything [that is good]; they expect that [their money] will help/save them, but it will not.
8 The righteous man is delivered from trouble; in his place the wicked man goes in.
[Yahweh] rescues righteous [people] from their troubles/difficulties; instead, it is the wicked who will have troubles.
9 With his mouth the ungodly man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.
Godless people can ruin others by what they say [MTY], but righteous [people will] be saved by [their (own] good sense/being wise).
10 When the righteous thrive, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
When things go well for righteous [people], [the people in] [MTY] their city are happy, and they shout joyfully when wicked [people] die.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is built up, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
When righteous [people request God to] bless a city, that city will become great, but cities are ruined by what wicked [people] say [MTY].
12 Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks judgment, but a man of understanding remains silent.
It is foolish to despise others; those who (have good sense/are wise) do not say anything [to criticize others].
13 A gossip reveals a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
Those who (spread gossip/tell bad things about others) will tell your secrets [to others], but if there is someone whom you can trust, you can trust him to not tell your secrets [to others].
14 For lack of guidance, a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance.
A nation will be destroyed/ruined if it does not have [leaders] who guide it [wisely]; but if there are many [good] advisors, the nation remains secure.
15 He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but the one who hates indebtedness is secure.
If you promise a stranger that you will pay his debt [if he cannot pay it himself], you will regret it. You will be safe if you refuse to guarantee that you will pay someone else’s debts.
16 A gracious woman attains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
[People] honor/respect women who are kind/gracious; ruthless/violent people may get a lot of money, [but that is all that they will get].
17 A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.
Those who are kind benefit themselves [because others will be kind to them], but those who are cruel will hurt themselves [because others will be cruel to them].
18 The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.
If wicked people earn a lot of money, that will deceive them [because they will not keep it for very long], but those who do what is right will surely be rewarded [by God forever].
19 Genuine righteousness leads to life, but the pursuit of evil brings death.
Those who always do what is right will live [a long/happy life], but those who insist on doing what is wrong will not live [very long].
20 The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their walk are His delight.
Yahweh hates those who are always thinking about doing evil things, but he is delighted with those who always do what is right.
21 Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.
It is certain that [Yahweh] will punish evil people and that righteous people will escape [from being punished].
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
[It is] ([unsuitable/not proper/disgusting]) for a beautiful woman not to know what is right to do, like [SIM] [it is unsuitable/disgusting] for a pig to have a gold ring in its snout/nose.
23 The desire of the righteous leads only to good, but the hope of the wicked brings wrath.
When the things that righteous people want happen, it brings good [to them and to others], but when the wicked get what they want, it causes everyone else to become angry.
24 One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.
Some people give [their money] generously [to poor people], but they become richer [in spite of that], and some people hold tightly to their money, but they still become poor [in spite of that].
25 A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Those who give generously [to others] will prosper; if you help others, [they/someone] will help you, too.
26 The people will curse the hoarder of grain, but blessing will crown the one who sells it.
People curse/despise someone who hoards his grain [and does not sell it], waiting to get a higher/bigger price for it, but they praise someone who sells it [when people need it, even when the price is not high].
27 He who searches out good finds favor, but evil will come to him who seeks it.
If you sincerely want to [do what is] right, [people] will respect you, but if you are wanting to cause trouble, trouble is what you will get.
28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.
Those who trust in their money will [disappear like the] withered [leaves that fall from the trees], but righteous [people] will keep going strong, like green leaves [in the summer].
29 He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
Those who bring troubles to their families will inherit nothing [MET] [from them], and those who do foolish things [like that] will [some day] become the servants of wise [people].
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
Those who live righteously will live [for a long time], but [those who act] violently will destroy [their own] lives (OR, those who are wise will have many people come and live with them).
31 If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
[Sometimes] righteous [people] are rewarded [here] on the earth, but it is much more certain that very wicked people [DOU] [will be rewarded by being punished].
