Proverbs 11-13

English Standard Version

11 ^(A)A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
    ^(B)but a just weight is his delight.
^2 (C)When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
    but with ^(D)the humble is wisdom.
^3 (E)The integrity of the upright guides them,
    ^(F)but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
^4 (G)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
    ^(H)but righteousness delivers from death.
⁵ The righteousness of the blameless ^(I)keeps his way straight,
    but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
^6 (J)The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the treacherous ^(K)are taken captive by their lust.
⁷ When the wicked dies, his ^(L)hope will perish,
    and ^(M)the expectation of wealth^[a] perishes too.
^8 (N)The righteous is delivered from trouble,
    and the wicked walks into it instead.
⁹ With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,
    but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
^10 (O)When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
    and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.
¹¹ By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
    but ^(P)by the mouth of the wicked ^(Q)it is overthrown.
¹² Whoever ^(R)belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
    but a man of understanding remains silent.
¹³ Whoever ^(S)goes about slandering reveals secrets,
    but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
¹⁴ Where there is ^(T)no guidance, a people falls,
    ^(U)but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
^15 (V)Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,
    but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
^16 (W)A gracious woman gets honor,
    and ^(X)violent men get riches.
^17 (Y)A man who is kind benefits himself,
    but a cruel man hurts himself.
¹⁸ The wicked earns deceptive wages,
    but one who ^(Z)sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
¹⁹ Whoever is steadfast in righteousness ^(AA)will live,
    but ^(AB)he who pursues evil will die.
²⁰ Those of ^(AC)crooked heart are ^(AD)an abomination to the Lord,
    but those of ^(AE)blameless ways are ^(AF)his delight.
^21 (AG)Be assured, ^(AH)an evil person will not go unpunished,
    but ^(AI)the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
²² Like ^(AJ)a gold ring in a pig's snout
    is a beautiful woman without discretion.
²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
    ^(AK)the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
^24 (AL)One gives ^(AM)freely, yet grows all the richer;
    another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
^25 (AN)Whoever brings blessing ^(AO)will be enriched,
    and ^(AP)one who waters will himself be watered.
^26 (AQ)The people curse him who holds back grain,
    but ^(AR)a blessing is on the head of him who ^(AS)sells it.
²⁷ Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,^[b]
    but evil comes to ^(AT)him who searches for it.
²⁸ Whoever ^(AU)trusts in his riches will fall,
    but the righteous will ^(AV)flourish like a green leaf.
²⁹ Whoever ^(AW)troubles his own household will ^(AX)inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is ^(AY)a tree of life,
    and whoever ^(AZ)captures souls is wise.
³¹ If ^(BA)the righteous is repaid on earth,
    how much more the wicked and the sinner!
12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but he who ^(BB)hates reproof is ^(BC)stupid.
² A good man ^(BD)obtains favor from the Lord,
    but a man of evil devices he condemns.
³ No one is established by wickedness,
    but the root of ^(BE)the righteous will never be moved.
^4 (BF)An excellent wife is ^(BG)the crown of her husband,
    but she who ^(BH)brings shame is like ^(BI)rottenness in his bones.
^5 (BJ)The thoughts of the righteous are just;
    the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
⁶ The words of the wicked ^(BK)lie in wait for blood,
    but ^(BL)the mouth of the upright delivers them.
^7 (BM)The wicked are ^(BN)overthrown and are no more,
    ^(BO)but the house of the righteous will stand.
⁸ A man is commended according to his good sense,
    but one of twisted mind is ^(BP)despised.
⁹ Better to be lowly and have a servant
    than to play the great man and lack bread.
^10 (BQ)Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,
    but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
^11 (BR)Whoever works his land ^(BS)will have plenty of bread,
    ^(BT)but he who follows ^(BU)worthless pursuits lacks sense.
¹² Whoever is wicked covets ^(BV)the spoil of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
¹³ An evil man is ensnared ^(BW)by the transgression of his lips,^{[c]
    (BX)}but the righteous escapes from trouble.
¹⁴ From the fruit of his mouth ^(BY)a man is satisfied with good,
    ^(BZ)and the work of a man's hand comes back to him.
^15 (CA)The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
    but a wise man listens to advice.
^16 (CB)The vexation of a fool is known at once,
    but the prudent ignores an insult.
^17 (CC)Whoever speaks^[d] the truth gives honest evidence,
    but ^(CD)a false witness utters deceit.
^18 (CE)There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings ^(CF)healing.
¹⁹ Truthful lips endure forever,
    but ^(CG)a lying tongue is but for a moment.
²⁰ Deceit is in the heart of ^(CH)those who devise evil,
    but those who plan peace have joy.
^21 (CI)No ill befalls the righteous,
    but the wicked are filled with trouble.
^22 (CJ)Lying lips are ^(CK)an abomination to the Lord,
    ^(CL)but those who act faithfully are his delight.
^23 (CM)A prudent man conceals knowledge,
    ^(CN)but the heart of fools proclaims folly.
^24 (CO)The hand of the diligent will rule,
    while the slothful will be ^(CP)put to forced labor.
^25 (CQ)Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down,
    but a good word makes him glad.
²⁶ One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,^[e]
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
^27 (CR)Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,
    but the diligent man will get precious wealth.^[f]
28 (CS)In the path of righteousness is life,
    and in its pathway there is no death.
13 A wise son hears his father's instruction,
    but ^(CT)a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
² From the fruit of his mouth a man ^(CU)eats what is good,
    but the desire of the treacherous ^(CV)is for violence.
^3 (CW)Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
    ^(CX)he who opens wide his lips ^(CY)comes to ruin.
^4 (CZ)The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
    while the soul of the diligent ^(DA)is richly supplied.
⁵ The righteous hates falsehood,
    but the wicked brings shame^[g] and disgrace.
^6 (DB)Righteousness guards him whose ^(DC)way is blameless,
    but sin overthrows the wicked.
^7 (DD)One pretends to be rich,^[h] yet has nothing;
    ^(DE)another pretends to be poor,^[i] yet has great wealth.
⁸ The ransom of a man's life is his wealth,
    but a poor man ^(DF)hears no threat.
^9 (DG)The light of the righteous rejoices,
    but ^(DH)the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
^10 (DI)By insolence comes nothing but strife,
    but with those who take advice is wisdom.
^11 (DJ)Wealth gained hastily^[j] will dwindle,
    but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    ^(DK)but a desire fulfilled is ^(DL)a tree of life.
¹³ Whoever ^(DM)despises ^(DN)the word^[k] brings destruction on himself,
    but he who reveres the commandment^[l] will be ^(DO)rewarded.
¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is ^(DP)a fountain of life,
    that one may ^(DQ)turn away from the snares of death.
^15 (DR)Good sense wins ^(DS)favor,
    but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.^[m]
16 (DT)Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
    ^(DU)but a fool flaunts his folly.
¹⁷ A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
    but ^(DV)a faithful envoy brings healing.
¹⁸ Poverty and disgrace come to him who ^(DW)ignores instruction,
    ^(DX)but whoever ^(DY)heeds reproof is honored.
^19 (DZ)A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
    but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
²⁰ Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
^21 (EA)Disaster^[n] pursues sinners,
    ^(EB)but the righteous are rewarded with good.
^22 (EC)A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children,
    but ^(ED)the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.
²³ The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
    but it is swept away through ^(EE)injustice.
^24 (EF)Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
    but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.^[o]
25 (EG)The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
    but the belly of the wicked suffers want.