Proverbs 11

Chapter 11

¹The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales,

but he delights in accurate weights.

²Pride leads to disgrace,

but with humility comes wisdom.

³Honesty guides good people;

dishonesty destroys treacherous people.

⁴Riches won’t help on the day of judgment,

but right living can save you from death.

⁵The godly are directed by honesty;

the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.

⁶The godliness of good people rescues them;

the ambition of treacherous people traps them.

⁷When the wicked die, their hopes die with them,

for they rely on their own feeble strength.

⁸The godly are rescued from trouble,

and it falls on the wicked instead.

⁹With their words, the godless destroy their friends,

but knowledge will rescue the righteous.

¹⁰The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed;

they shout for joy when the wicked die.

¹¹Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper,

but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.

¹²It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor;

a sensible person keeps quiet.

¹³A gossip goes around telling secrets,

but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.

¹⁴Without wise leadership, a nation falls;

there is safety in having many advisers.

¹⁵There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt;

it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.

¹⁶A gracious woman gains respect,

but ruthless men gain only wealth.

¹⁷Your kindness will reward you,

but your cruelty will destroy you.

¹⁸Evil people get rich for the moment,

but the reward of the godly will last.

¹⁹Godly people find life;

evil people find death.

²⁰The Lord detests people with crooked hearts,

but he delights in those with integrity.

²¹Evil people will surely be punished,

but the children of the godly will go free.

²²A beautiful woman who lacks discretion

is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.

²³The godly can look forward to a reward,

while the wicked can expect only judgment.

²⁴Give freely and become more wealthy;

be stingy and lose everything.

²⁵The generous will prosper;

those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

²⁶People curse those who hoard their grain,

but they bless the one who sells in time of need.

²⁷If you search for good, you will find favor;

but if you search for evil, it will find you!

²⁸Trust in your money and down you go!

But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.

²⁹Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind.

The fool will be a servant to the wise.

³⁰The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life;

a wise person wins friends.

³¹If the righteous are rewarded here on earth,

what will happen to wicked sinners?