Proverbs 11

Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

1A 1false balance is an abomination to the Lord, But a 2just weight is His delight.2When 3pride comes, then comes dishonor; But with the humble there is wisdom.3The 4integrity of the upright will guide them, But the 5perversity of the treacherous will destroy them.46Riches do not benefit on the day of wrath, But 7righteousness rescues from death.5The 8righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way, But 9the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.6The righteousness of the upright will rescue them, But the treacherous will 10be caught by their own greed.7When a wicked person dies, his 11expectation will perish, And the 12hope of strong people perishes.8The righteous is rescued from trouble, But the wicked 13takes his place.9With his 14mouth the godless person destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the 15righteous will be rescued.10When things 16go well for the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.11By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked, it is torn down.12One who despises his neighbor lacks 17sense, But a person of understanding keeps silent.13One 18who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, But one who is 19trustworthy 20conceals a matter.14Where there is no 21guidance the people fall, But in an abundance of counselors there is 22victory.15One who is a 23guarantor for a stranger will certainly suffer for it, But one who hates 24being a guarantor is secure.16A 25gracious woman attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches.17A 26merciful person does 27himself good, But the cruel person 28does himself harm.18A wicked person earns deceptive wages, But one who 29sows righteousness gets a true reward.19One who is steadfast in 30righteousness attains life, But 31one who pursues evil attains his own death.20The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord, But the 32blameless in their 33walk are His 34delight.2135Be assured, the evil person will not go unpunished, But the 36descendants of the righteous will be rescued.22As a 37ring of gold in a pig’s snout So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.23The desire of the righteous is only good, But the 38expectation of the wicked is wrath.24There 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.25A 3940generous person will be 41prosperous, And one who 42gives others plenty of water will himself be given plenty.26One who withholds grain, the 43people will curse him, But 44blessing will be on the head of him who 45sells it.27One who diligently seeks good seeks favor, But 46one who seeks evil, evil will come to him.28One who 47trusts in his riches will fall, But 48the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.29One who 49troubles his own house will 50inherit wind, And 51the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.30The fruit of the righteous is 52a tree of life, And 53one who is wise 54gains souls.31If 55the righteous will be repaid on the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner!