Proverbs 11:1-21

¹Scales of deceit are hated by the Lord, but a true weight is his delight.

²When pride comes, there comes shame, but wisdom is with the quiet in spirit.

³The righteousness of the upright will be their guide, but the twisted ways of the false will be their destruction.

⁴Wealth is of no profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness keeps a man safe from death.

⁵The righteousness of the good man will make his way straight, but the sin of the evil-doer will be the cause of his fall.

⁶The righteousness of the upright will be their salvation, but the false will themselves be taken in their evil designs.

⁷At the death of an upright man his hope does not come to an end, but the hope of the evil-doer comes to destruction.

⁸The upright man is taken out of trouble, and in his place comes the sinner.

⁹With his mouth the evil man sends destruction on his neighbour; but through knowledge the upright are taken out of trouble.

¹⁰When things go well for the upright man, all the town is glad; at the death of sinners, there are cries of joy.

¹¹By the blessing of the upright man the town is made great, but it is overturned by the mouth of the evil-doer.

¹²He who has a poor opinion of his neighbour has no sense, but a wise man keeps quiet.

¹³He who goes about talking of others makes secrets public, but the true-hearted man keeps things covered.

¹⁴When there is no helping suggestion the people will have a fall, but with a number of wise guides they will be safe.

¹⁵He who makes himself responsible for a strange man will undergo much loss; but the hater of such undertakings will be safe.

¹⁶A woman who is full of grace is honoured, but a woman hating righteousness is a seat of shame: those hating work will undergo loss, but the strong keep their wealth.

¹⁷The man who has mercy will be rewarded, but the cruel man is the cause of trouble to himself.

¹⁸The sinner gets the payment of deceit; but his reward is certain who puts in the seed of righteousness.

¹⁹So righteousness gives life; but he who goes after evil gets death for himself.

²⁰The uncontrolled are hated by the Lord, but those whose ways are without error are his delight

²¹Certainly the evil-doer will not go free from punishment, but the seed of the upright man will be safe.