11A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but an accurate weight is his delight.
²When pride comes, then comes disgrace;
but wisdom is with the humble.
³The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
⁴Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
⁵The righteousness of the blameless keeps their ways straight,
but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
⁶The righteousness of the upright saves them,
but the treacherous are taken captive by their schemes.
⁷When the wicked die, their hope perishes,
and the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.
⁸The righteous are delivered from trouble,
and the wicked get into it instead.
⁹With their mouths the godless would destroy their neighbors,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
¹⁰When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;
and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
¹¹By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
¹²Whoever belittles another lacks sense,
but an intelligent person remains silent.
¹³A gossip goes about telling secrets,
but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.
¹⁴Where there is no guidance, a nation falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
¹⁵To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble,
but there is safety in refusing to do so.
¹⁶A gracious woman gets honor,
but she who hates virtue is covered with shame.
The timid become destitute,
but the aggressive gain riches.
¹⁷Those who are kind reward themselves,
but the cruel do themselves harm.
¹⁸The wicked earn no real gain,
but those who sow righteousness get a true reward.
¹⁹Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,
but whoever pursues evil will die.
²⁰Crooked minds are an abomination to the Lord,
but those of blameless ways are his delight.
²¹Be assured, the wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will escape.
²²Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman without good sense.
²³The desire of the righteous ends only in good;
the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
²⁴Some give freely, yet grow all the richer;
others withhold what is due, and only suffer want.
²⁵A generous person will be enriched,
and one who gives water will get water.
²⁶The people curse those who hold back grain,
but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.
²⁷Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,
but evil comes to the one who searches for it.
²⁸Those who trust in their riches will wither,
but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.
²⁹Those who trouble their households will inherit wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.
³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
but violence takes lives away.
³¹If the righteous are repaid on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner!
12Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but those who hate to be rebuked are stupid.
²The good obtain favor from the Lord,
but those who devise evil he condemns.
³No one finds security by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
⁴A good wife is the crown of her husband,
but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
⁵The thoughts of the righteous are just;
the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
⁶The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
but the speech of the upright delivers them.
⁷The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
but the house of the righteous will stand.
⁸One is commended for good sense,
but a perverse mind is despised.
⁹Better to be despised and have a servant,
than to be self-important and lack food.
¹⁰The righteous know the needs of their animals,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
¹¹Those who till their land will have plenty of food,
but those who follow worthless pursuits have no sense.
¹²The wicked covet the proceeds of wickedness,
but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
¹³The evil are ensnared by the transgression of their lips,
but the righteous escape from trouble.
¹⁴From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things,
and manual labor has its reward.
¹⁵Fools think their own way is right,
but the wise listen to advice.
¹⁶Fools show their anger at once,
but the prudent ignore an insult.
¹⁷Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
but a false witness speaks deceitfully.
¹⁸Rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
¹⁹Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
²⁰Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil,
but those who counsel peace have joy.
²¹No harm happens to the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.
²²Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
but those who act faithfully are his delight.
²³One who is clever conceals knowledge,
but the mind of a fool broadcasts folly.
²⁴The hand of the diligent will rule,
while the lazy will be put to forced labor.
²⁵Anxiety weighs down the human heart,
but a good word cheers it up.
²⁶The righteous gives good advice to friends,
but the way of the wicked leads astray.
²⁷The lazy do not roast their game,
but the diligent obtain precious wealth.
²⁸In the path of righteousness there is life,
in walking its path there is no death.