Proverbs 11

God hates cheating in the marketplace;
    he loves it when business is aboveboard.

The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales,
    but he delights in accurate weights.

The stuck-up fall flat on their faces,
    but down-to-earth people stand firm.

Pride leads to disgrace,
    but with humility comes wisdom.

The integrity of the honest keeps them on track;
    the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.

Honesty guides good people;
    dishonesty destroys treacherous people.

A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart,
    but a principled life can stand up to the worst.

Riches won’t help on the day of judgment,
    but right living can save you from death.

Moral character makes for smooth traveling;
    an evil life is a hard life.

The godly are directed by honesty;
    the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.

Good character is the best insurance;
    crooks get trapped in their sinful lust.

The godliness of good people rescues them;
    the ambition of treacherous people traps them.

When the wicked die, that’s it—
    the story’s over, end of hope.

When the wicked die, their hopes die with them,
    for they rely on their own feeble strength.

A good person is saved from much trouble;
    a bad person runs straight into it.

The godly are rescued from trouble,
    and it falls on the wicked instead.

The loose tongue of the godless spreads destruction;
    the common sense of the godly preserves them.

With their words, the godless destroy their friends,
    but knowledge will rescue the righteous.

When it goes well for good people, the whole town cheers;
    when it goes badly for bad people, the town celebrates.

The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed;
    they shout for joy when the wicked die.

When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes;
    evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time.

Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper,
    but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.

Mean-spirited slander is heartless;
    quiet discretion accompanies good sense.

It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor;
    a sensible person keeps quiet.

A gadabout gossip can’t be trusted with a secret,
    but someone of integrity won’t violate a confidence.

A gossip goes around telling secrets,
    but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.

Without good direction, people lose their way;
    the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.

Without wise leadership, a nation falls;
    there is safety in having many advisers.

Whoever makes deals with strangers is sure to get burned;
    if you keep a cool head, you’ll avoid rash bargains.

There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt;
    it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.

A woman of gentle grace gets respect,
    but men of rough violence grab for loot.

A gracious woman gains respect,
    but ruthless men gain only wealth.

When you’re kind to others, you help yourself;
    when you’re cruel to others, you hurt yourself.

Your kindness will reward you,
    but your cruelty will destroy you.

Bad work gets paid with a bad check;
    good work gets solid pay.

Evil people get rich for the moment,
    but the reward of the godly will last.

Take your stand with God’s loyal community and live,
    or chase after phantoms of evil and die.

Godly people find life;
    evil people find death.

God can’t stand deceivers,
    but oh how he relishes integrity.

The Lord detests people with crooked hearts,
    but he delights in those with integrity.

Count on this: The wicked won’t get off scot-free,
    and God’s loyal people will triumph.

Evil people will surely be punished,
    but the children of the godly will go free.

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
    is a beautiful face on an empty head.

A beautiful woman who lacks discretion
    is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.

The desires of good people lead straight to the best,
    but wicked ambition ends in angry frustration.

The godly can look forward to a reward,
    while the wicked can expect only judgment.

The world of the generous gets larger and larger;
    the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

Give freely and become more wealthy;
    be stingy and lose everything.

The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;
    those who help others are helped.

The generous will prosper;
    those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Curses on those who drive a hard bargain!
    Blessings on all who play fair and square!

People curse those who hoard their grain,
    but they bless the one who sells in time of need.

The one who seeks good finds delight;
    the student of evil becomes evil.

If you search for good, you will find favor;
    but if you search for evil, it will find you!

A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump;
    a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.

Trust in your money and down you go!
    But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.

Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air;
    common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live.

Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind.
    The fool will be a servant to the wise.

A good life is a fruit-bearing tree;
    a violent life destroys souls.

The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life;
    a wise person wins friends.^[a]

If good people barely make it,
    what’s in store for the bad!