Proverbs 11

¹The Lord detests dishonest scales,
    but accurate weights find favour with him.

² When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
    but with humility comes wisdom.

³ The integrity of the upright guides them,
    but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

⁴ Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
    but righteousness delivers from death.

⁵ The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,
    but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

⁶ The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.

⁷ Hopes placed in mortals die with them;
    all the promise of^[a] their power comes to nothing.

⁸ The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
    and it falls on the wicked instead.

⁹ With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbours,
    but through knowledge the righteous escape.

¹⁰ When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
    when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

¹¹ Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
    but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.

¹² Whoever derides their neighbour has no sense,
    but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.

¹³ A gossip betrays a confidence,
    but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

¹⁴ For lack of guidance a nation falls,
    but victory is won through many advisors.

¹⁵ Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer,
    but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.

¹⁶ A kind-hearted woman gains honour,
    but ruthless men gain only wealth.

¹⁷ Those who are kind benefit themselves,
    but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

¹⁸ A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
    but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

¹⁹ Truly the righteous attain life,
    but whoever pursues evil finds death.

²⁰ The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,
    but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.

²¹ Be sure of this: the wicked will not go unpunished,
    but those who are righteous will go free.

²² Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
    is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
    but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

²⁴ One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
    another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

²⁵ A generous person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

²⁶ People curse the one who hoards grain,
    but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.

²⁷ Whoever seeks good finds favour,
    but evil comes to one who searches for it.

²⁸ Those who trust in their riches will fall,
    but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

²⁹ Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise.

³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
    and the one who is wise saves lives.

³¹ If the righteous receive their due on earth,
    how much more the ungodly and the sinner!