Proverbs11

¹ The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights.

² Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

³ Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.

⁴ Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.

⁵ The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.

⁶ The godliness of good people rescues them; the ambition of treacherous people traps them.

⁷ When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength.

⁸ The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.

⁹ With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous.

¹⁰ The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die.

¹¹ Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.

¹² It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet.

¹³ A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.

¹⁴ Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.

¹⁵ There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt; it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.

¹⁶ A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.

¹⁷ Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.

¹⁸ Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.

¹⁹ Godly people find life; evil people find death.

²⁰ The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.

²¹ Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free.

²² A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.

²³ The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment.

²⁴ Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.

²⁵ The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

²⁶ People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need.

²⁷ If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!

²⁸ Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.

²⁹ Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise.

³⁰ The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.

³¹ If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?