Proverbs 11:4-12:14

English Standard Version

^4 (A)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
    ^(B)but righteousness delivers from death.
⁵ The righteousness of the blameless ^(C)keeps his way straight,
    but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
^6 (D)The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the treacherous ^(E)are taken captive by their lust.
⁷ When the wicked dies, his ^(F)hope will perish,
    and ^(G)the expectation of wealth^[a] perishes too.
^8 (H)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 (I)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 ^(J)by the mouth of the wicked ^(K)it is overthrown.
¹² Whoever ^(L)belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
    but a man of understanding remains silent.
¹³ Whoever ^(M)goes about slandering reveals secrets,
    but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
¹⁴ Where there is ^(N)no guidance, a people falls,
    ^(O)but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
^15 (P)Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,
    but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
^16 (Q)A gracious woman gets honor,
    and ^(R)violent men get riches.
^17 (S)A man who is kind benefits himself,
    but a cruel man hurts himself.
¹⁸ The wicked earns deceptive wages,
    but one who ^(T)sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
¹⁹ Whoever is steadfast in righteousness ^(U)will live,
    but ^(V)he who pursues evil will die.
²⁰ Those of ^(W)crooked heart are ^(X)an abomination to the Lord,
    but those of ^(Y)blameless ways are ^(Z)his delight.
^21 (AA)Be assured, ^(AB)an evil person will not go unpunished,
    but ^(AC)the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
²² Like ^(AD)a gold ring in a pig's snout
    is a beautiful woman without discretion.
²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
    ^(AE)the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
^24 (AF)One gives ^(AG)freely, yet grows all the richer;
    another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
^25 (AH)Whoever brings blessing ^(AI)will be enriched,
    and ^(AJ)one who waters will himself be watered.
^26 (AK)The people curse him who holds back grain,
    but ^(AL)a blessing is on the head of him who ^(AM)sells it.
²⁷ Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,^[b]
    but evil comes to ^(AN)him who searches for it.
²⁸ Whoever ^(AO)trusts in his riches will fall,
    but the righteous will ^(AP)flourish like a green leaf.
²⁹ Whoever ^(AQ)troubles his own household will ^(AR)inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is ^(AS)a tree of life,
    and whoever ^(AT)captures souls is wise.
³¹ If ^(AU)the righteous is repaid on earth,
    how much more the wicked and the sinner!
12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but he who ^(AV)hates reproof is ^(AW)stupid.
² A good man ^(AX)obtains favor from the Lord,
    but a man of evil devices he condemns.
³ No one is established by wickedness,
    but the root of ^(AY)the righteous will never be moved.
^4 (AZ)An excellent wife is ^(BA)the crown of her husband,
    but she who ^(BB)brings shame is like ^(BC)rottenness in his bones.
^5 (BD)The thoughts of the righteous are just;
    the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
⁶ The words of the wicked ^(BE)lie in wait for blood,
    but ^(BF)the mouth of the upright delivers them.
^7 (BG)The wicked are ^(BH)overthrown and are no more,
    ^(BI)but the house of the righteous will stand.
⁸ A man is commended according to his good sense,
    but one of twisted mind is ^(BJ)despised.
⁹ Better to be lowly and have a servant
    than to play the great man and lack bread.
^10 (BK)Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,
    but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
^11 (BL)Whoever works his land ^(BM)will have plenty of bread,
    ^(BN)but he who follows ^(BO)worthless pursuits lacks sense.
¹² Whoever is wicked covets ^(BP)the spoil of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
¹³ An evil man is ensnared ^(BQ)by the transgression of his lips,^{[c]
    (BR)}but the righteous escapes from trouble.
¹⁴ From the fruit of his mouth ^(BS)a man is satisfied with good,
    ^(BT)and the work of a man's hand comes back to him.