Proverbs 11
1 A FALSE balance is an abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
Balances of deceit [are] an abomination to YHWH, And a perfect weight [is] His delight.
2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
Pride has come, and shame comes, And wisdom [is] with the lowly.
3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.
The integrity of the upright leads them, And the perverseness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Wealth does not profit in a day of wrath, And righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
The righteousness of the perfect makes his way right, And by his wickedness the wicked fall.
6 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but they that deal treacherously shall be taken in their own mischief.
The righteousness of the upright delivers them, And in mischief the treacherous are captured.
7 When a wicked man dieth [his] expectation shall perish: and the hope of iniquity perisheth.
In the death of a wicked man, hope perishes, And the expectation of the iniquitous has been lost.
8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.
The righteous is drawn out from distress, And the wicked goes in instead of him.
9 With his mouth the godless man destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the righteous be delivered.
A hypocrite corrupts his friend with the mouth, And the righteous are drawn out by knowledge.
10 When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
A city exults in the good of the righteous, And in the destruction of the wicked [is] singing.
11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
By the blessing of the upright is a city exalted, And by the mouth of the wicked thrown down.
12 He that despiseth his neighbour is void of wisdom: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
Whoever is despising his neighbor lacks heart, And a man of understanding keeps silence.
13 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.
A busybody is revealing secret counsel, And the faithful of spirit is covering the matter.
14 Where no wise guidance is, the people falleth: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Without counsels a people falls, And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counselors.
15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: but he that hateth suretiship is sure.
An evil [one] suffers when he has been guarantor [for] a stranger, And whoever hates striking hands [in agreement] is confident.
16 A gracious woman retaineth honour: and violent men retain riches.
A gracious woman retains honor, And terrible [men] retain riches.
17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
A kind man is rewarding his own soul, And the fierce is troubling his own flesh.
18 The wicked earneth deceitful wages: but he that soweth righteousness [hath] a sure reward.
The wicked is getting a lying wage, And whoever is sowing righteousness—a true reward.
19 He that is stedfast in righteousness [shall attain] unto life: and he that pursueth evil [doeth it] to his own death.
Correctly [is] righteousness for life, And whoever is pursuing evil—for his own death.
20 They that are perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD: but such as are perfect in [their] way are his delight.
The perverse of heart are an abomination to YHWH, And the perfect of the way [are] His delight.
21 [Though] hand [join] in hand, the evil man shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
Hand to hand, the wicked is not acquitted, And the seed of the righteous has escaped.
22 [As a] jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, [so is] a fair woman which is without discretion.
A ring of gold in the nose of a sow—A beautiful woman and stubborn of behavior.
23 The desire of the righteous is only good: [but] the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
The desire of the righteous [is] only good, The hope of the wicked [is] transgression.
24 There is that scattereth, and increaseth yet more; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but [it tendeth] only to want.
There is [one] who is scattering, and yet is increased, And [one] who is keeping back from uprightness, only to want.
25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
A liberal soul is made fat, And whoever is watering, he also is watered.
26 He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
Whoever is withholding grain, the people execrate him, And a blessing [is] for the head of him who is selling.
27 He that diligently seeketh good seeketh favour: but he that searcheth after mischief, it shall come unto him.
Whoever is earnestly seeking good Seeks a pleasing thing, And whoever is seeking evil—it meets him.
28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.
Whoever is confident in his wealth falls, And as a leaf, the righteous flourish.
29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.
Whoever is troubling his own house inherits wind, And the fool [is] a servant to the wise of heart.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that is wise winneth souls.
The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life, And whoever is taking souls [is] wise.
31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: how much more the wicked and the sinner!
Behold, the righteous is repaid in the earth, Surely also the wicked and the sinner!
