11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the LORD,
But a just weight is His delight.
11:2 When pride comes, then comes dishonor;
But with the humble there is wisdom.
11:3 The integrity of the upright will guide them,
But the perversity of the treacherous will destroy them.
11:4 Riches do not benefit on the day of wrath,
But righteousness rescues from death.
11:5 The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way,
But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
11:6 The righteousness of the upright will rescue them,
But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.
11:7 When a wicked person dies, his expectation will perish,
And the hope of strong people perishes.
11:8 The righteous is rescued from trouble,
But the wicked ①takes his place.
▷ ①Lit enters
11:9 With his mouth the godless person destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge the righteous will be rescued.
11:10 When things go well for the righteous, the city rejoices,
And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.
11:11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
But by the mouth of the wicked, it is torn down.
11:12 One who despises his neighbor lacks ①sense,
But a person of understanding keeps silent.
▷ ①Lit heart
11:13 One who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
But one who is ①trustworthy conceals a matter.
▷ ①Lit faithful of spirit
11:14 Where there is no guidance the people fall,
But in an abundance of counselors there is ①victory.
▷ ①Lit deliverance
11:15 One who is a guarantor for a stranger will certainly suffer for it,
But one who hates ①being a guarantor is secure.
▷ ①Lit those who strike hands
11:16 A gracious woman attains honor,
And ruthless men attain riches.
11:17 A merciful person does ①himself good,
But the cruel person ②does himself harm.
▷ ①Lit his soul ②Lit ruins his flesh
11:18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
But one who sows righteousness gets a true reward.
11:19 One who is steadfast in righteousness attains life,
But one who pursues evil attains his own death.
11:20 The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD,
But the blameless in their ①walk are His delight.
▷ ①Lit way
11:21 ①Be assured, the evil person will not go unpunished,
But the ②descendants of the righteous will be rescued.
▷ ①Lit Hand to hand ②Lit seed
11:22 As a ring of gold in a pig’s snout
So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
11:23 The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
11:24 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,
And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in poverty.
11:25 A ①generous person will be ②prosperous,
And one who gives others plenty of water will himself be given plenty.
▷ ①Lit soul of blessing ②Lit made fat
11:26 One who withholds grain, the people will curse him,
But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.
11:27 One who diligently seeks good seeks favor,
But one who seeks evil, evil will come to him.
11:28 One who trusts in his riches will fall,
But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
11:29 One who troubles his own house will inherit wind,
And the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.
11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And one who is wise ①gains souls.
▷ ①Lit takes
11:31 If the righteous will be repaid on the earth,
How much more the wicked and the sinner!