Proverbs 11:18-31

New American Standard Bible

¹⁸ A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
But one who ^(A)sows righteousness gets a true reward.
¹⁹ One who is steadfast in ^(B)righteousness attains life,
But ^(C)one who pursues evil attains his own death.
²⁰ The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord,
But the ^(D)blameless in their ^[a]walk are His ^(E)delight.
^21 [b]Be assured, the evil person will not go unpunished,
But the ^[c]descendants of the righteous will be rescued.
²² As a ^(F)ring of gold in a pig’s snout
So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
²³ The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the ^(G)expectation of the wicked is wrath.
²⁴ There 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.
²⁵ A ^[d](H)generous person will be ^[e]prosperous,
And one who ^(I)gives others plenty of water will himself be given plenty.
²⁶ One who withholds grain, the ^(J)people will curse him,
But ^(K)blessing will be on the head of him who ^(L)sells it.
²⁷ One who diligently seeks good seeks favor,
But ^(M)one who seeks evil, evil will come to him.
²⁸ One who ^(N)trusts in his riches will fall,
But ^(O)the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
²⁹ One who ^(P)troubles his own house will ^(Q)inherit wind,
And ^(R)the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.
³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is ^(S)a tree of life,
And ^(T)one who is wise ^[f]gains souls.
³¹ If ^(U)the righteous will be repaid on the earth,
How much more the wicked and the sinner!