< Proverbs 11 >
1 Yahweh hates scales that are not accurate, but he delights in a precise weight.
Balances of deceit [are] an abomination to YHWH, And a perfect weight [is] His delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Pride has come, and shame comes, And wisdom [is] with the lowly.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crooked ways of the treacherous destroy them.
The integrity of the upright leads them, And the perverseness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Wealth is worthless on the day of wrath, but doing right keeps you from death.
Wealth does not profit in a day of wrath, And righteousness delivers from death.
5 The right conduct of a blameless person makes his way straight, but the wicked will fall because of their own wickedness.
The righteousness of the perfect makes his way right, And by his wickedness the wicked fall.
6 The right conduct of those who please God keeps them safe, but the treacherous are trapped by their cravings.
The righteousness of the upright delivers them, And in mischief the treacherous are captured.
7 When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes and the hope that was in his strength comes to nothing.
In the death of a wicked man, hope perishes, And the expectation of the iniquitous has been lost.
8 The righteous person is kept away from trouble and it comes upon the wicked instead.
The righteous is drawn out from distress, And the wicked goes in instead of him.
9 With his mouth the godless person destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge righteous people are kept safe.
A hypocrite corrupts his friend with the mouth, And the righteous are drawn out by knowledge.
10 When righteous people prosper, a city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
A city exults in the good of the righteous, And in the destruction of the wicked [is] singing.
11 Through the good gifts of those who please God, the city becomes great; by the mouth of the wicked, the city is torn down.
By the blessing of the upright is a city exalted, And by the mouth of the wicked thrown down.
12 The man who has contempt for his friend has no sense, but a man of understanding keeps quiet.
Whoever is despising his neighbor lacks heart, And a man of understanding keeps silence.
13 Whoever goes around slandering reveals secrets, but a faithful person keeps a matter covered.
A busybody is revealing secret counsel, And the faithful of spirit is covering the matter.
14 Where there is no wise direction, a nation falls, but victory comes by consulting many advisors.
Without counsels a people falls, And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counselors.
15 Whoever guarantees a loan for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but the one who hates giving a pledge in that kind of promise is safe.
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 gets honor, but ruthless people grasp for wealth.
A gracious woman retains honor, And terrible [men] retain riches.
17 A kind person benefits himself, but one who is cruel hurts himself.
A kind man is rewarding his own soul, And the fierce is troubling his own flesh.
18 The wicked person lies to get his wages, but one who sows what is right reaps the wages of truth.
The wicked is getting a lying wage, And whoever is sowing righteousness—a true reward.
19 An honest person who does what is right will live, but the one who pursues evil will die.
Correctly [is] righteousness for life, And whoever is pursuing evil—for his own death.
20 Yahweh hates those whose hearts are perverse, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
The perverse of heart are an abomination to YHWH, And the perfect of the way [are] His delight.
21 Be sure of this—the wicked person will not go unpunished, but the descendants of righteous people will be kept safe.
Hand to hand, the wicked is not acquitted, And the seed of the righteous has escaped.
22 Like a gold ring in a pig's nose is a beautiful woman without discretion.
A ring of gold in the nose of a sow—A beautiful woman and stubborn of behavior.
23 The desires of righteous people result in good, but wicked people can only hope for wrath.
The desire of the righteous [is] only good, The hope of the wicked [is] transgression.
24 There is one who scatters—he will accumulate even more; another withholds what he should give—he comes to poverty.
There is [one] who is scattering, and yet is increased, And [one] who is keeping back from uprightness, only to want.
25 The generous person will prosper and the one who gives water to others will have water for himself.
A liberal soul is made fat, And whoever is watering, he also is watered.
26 People curse the man who refuses to sell grain, but good gifts crown the head of him who sells it.
Whoever is withholding grain, the people execrate him, And a blessing [is] for the head of him who is selling.
27 The one who diligently seeks good is also seeking favor, but the one who searches for evil will find it.
Whoever is earnestly seeking good Seeks a pleasing thing, And whoever is seeking evil—it meets him.
28 Those who trust in their riches will fall, but like the leaf, righteous people will flourish.
Whoever is confident in his wealth falls, And as a leaf, the righteous flourish.
29 The one who brings trouble on his own household will inherit the wind and the fool will become a 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 righteous person will be like a tree of life, but violence takes away lives.
The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life, And whoever is taking souls [is] wise.
31 Behold! The righteous person receives what he deserves; how much more the wicked and the sinner!
Behold, the righteous is repaid in the earth, Surely also the wicked and the sinner!