Add parallel Print Page Options

11 The Lord hates traders who do not use true weights.
    He is happy when they are honest and they use true weights.
If people are proud, they will soon become ashamed.
    But if people are humble, they become wise.
Good people are honest, and that shows them the right way to live.
    But wicked people are not honest, and that destroys them.
When it is time for God to punish you, money will not help you to escape.
    But if you are righteous, that will save you from death.
An honest man who is righteous has a straight path to walk on.
    But the sins of a wicked person will cause him to fall down.
When honest people are righteous, that will keep them safe.
    But the bad things that wicked people want will catch them in a trap.
When a wicked person dies, he has no hope for anything good.
    Everything that he hoped his strength would give him disappears!
Righteous people escape from trouble.
    The trouble happens to wicked people instead.
People who do not respect God say things that destroy their friends.
    But the knowledge that righteous people have keeps them safe.
10 When righteous people do well, everyone in the city is happy.
    And people shout with joy when wicked people die.
11 A city becomes great when honest men bring God's blessing to it.
    But when wicked people give bad advice, they will destroy the city.
12 When someone insults his neighbour, it shows that he is foolish.
    But a wise person stays quiet.
13 If a person talks too much about other people, he will soon tell their secrets.
    But someone that you can trust will not tell your secrets to other people.
14 A nation will fall if it has no wise leaders.
    But it will do well if there are people who give good advice.
15 If you promise to pay a stranger's debt, you will be sorry.
    You will be safe if you do not agree to do that.
16 A kind woman receives honour,
    but cruel men only get riches for themselves.
17 A faithful person helps himself with good things,
    but a cruel person brings trouble on himself.
18 A wicked person gets riches that soon disappear.
    But someone who lives in a good way will surely receive good things.
19 If someone continues to do what is right, he will live.
    But if someone loves to do evil things, he will die.
20 The Lord hates people who have wrong thoughts.
    But he is pleased with people who live in an honest way.
21 Be sure about this: Evil people will receive the punishment that they deserve.
    But people who are righteous will escape.
22 A beautiful woman who turns away from wisdom
    is like a gold ring in a pig's nose.
23 Righteous people want good things to happen.
    Wicked people only hope to cause anger.
24 Somebody may share his things with other people,
    but he still becomes richer.
Somebody else may keep the things that he should give to others,
    but he still becomes poor.
25 If you help other people with your money, you will do well.
    If you give water to thirsty people, you will not be thirsty yourself.
26 If you refuse to sell food to hungry people, they will curse you.
    But if you sell it to them, they will praise you.
27 If you try to do good things, people will respect you.
    But if you want evil things to happen, they will happen to you!
28 If somebody trusts his riches to keep him safe,
    he will fall like a leaf that falls from a tree.
But a righteous person will grow strong,
    like a fresh green leaf.
29 Anyone who causes trouble for his family will not receive any good thing from them.
    A foolish person like that will become the servant of a wise person.
30 The good things that a righteous person does bring life.
    A person who saves people's lives shows that he is wise.
31 Righteous people receive what they deserve, here on this earth.
    So you can be sure that cruel and wicked people will receive their punishment.