Bible Browser

11A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
   but an accurate weight is his delight.
² When pride comes, then comes disgrace;
   but wisdom is with the humble.
³ The integrity of the upright guides them,
   but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
⁴ Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
   but righteousness delivers from death.
⁵ The righteousness of the blameless keeps their ways straight,
   but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
⁶ The righteousness of the upright saves them,
   but the treacherous are taken captive by their schemes.
⁷ When the wicked die, their hope perishes,
   and the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.
⁸ The righteous are delivered from trouble,
   and the wicked get into it instead.
⁹ With their mouths the godless would destroy their neighbours,
   but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
¹⁰ When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;
   and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
¹¹ By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
   but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
¹² Whoever belittles another lacks sense,
   but an intelligent person remains silent.
¹³ A gossip goes about telling secrets,
   but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.
¹⁴ Where there is no guidance, a nation^* falls,
   but in an abundance of counsellors there is safety.
¹⁵ To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble,
   but there is safety in refusing to do so.
¹⁶ A gracious woman gets honour,
   but she who hates virtue is covered with shame.^*
The timid become destitute,^*
   but the aggressive gain riches.
¹⁷ Those who are kind reward themselves,
   but the cruel do themselves harm.
¹⁸ The wicked earn no real gain,
   but those who sow righteousness get a true reward.
¹⁹ Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,
   but whoever pursues evil will die.
²⁰ Crooked minds are an abomination to the Lord,
   but those of blameless ways are his delight.
²¹ Be assured, the wicked will not go unpunished,
   but those who are righteous will escape.
²² Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
   is a beautiful woman without good sense.
²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good;
   the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
²⁴ Some give freely, yet grow all the richer;
   others withhold what is due, and only suffer want.
²⁵ A generous person will be enriched,
   and one who gives water will get water.
²⁶ The people curse those who hold back grain,
   but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.
²⁷ Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favour,
   but evil comes to the one who searches for it.
²⁸ Those who trust in their riches will wither,^*
   but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.
²⁹ Those who trouble their households will inherit wind,
   and the fool will be servant to the wise.
³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
   but violence^* takes lives away.
³¹ If the righteous are repaid on earth,
   how much more the wicked and the sinner!

12Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
   but those who hate to be rebuked are stupid.
² The good obtain favour from the Lord,
   but those who devise evil he condemns.
³ No one finds security by wickedness,
   but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
⁴ A good wife is the crown of her husband,
   but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
⁵ The thoughts of the righteous are just;
   the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
⁶ The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
   but the speech of the upright delivers them.
⁷ The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
   but the house of the righteous will stand.
⁸ One is commended for good sense,
   but a perverse mind is despised.
⁹ Better to be despised and have a servant,
   than to be self-important and lack food.
¹⁰ The righteous know the needs of their animals,
   but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
¹¹ Those who till their land will have plenty of food,
   but those who follow worthless pursuits have no sense.
¹² The wicked covet the proceeds of wickedness,^*
   but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
¹³ The evil are ensnared by the transgression of their lips,
   but the righteous escape from trouble.
¹⁴ From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things,
   and manual labour has its reward.
¹⁵ Fools think their own way is right,
   but the wise listen to advice.
¹⁶ Fools show their anger at once,
   but the prudent ignore an insult.
¹⁷ Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
   but a false witness speaks deceitfully.
¹⁸ Rash words are like sword thrusts,
   but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
¹⁹ Truthful lips endure for ever,
   but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
²⁰ Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil,
   but those who counsel peace have joy.
²¹ No harm happens to the righteous,
   but the wicked are filled with trouble.
²² Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
   but those who act faithfully are his delight.
²³ One who is clever conceals knowledge,
   but the mind of a fool^* broadcasts folly.
²⁴ The hand of the diligent will rule,
   while the lazy will be put to forced labour.
²⁵ Anxiety weighs down the human heart,
   but a good word cheers it up.
²⁶ The righteous gives good advice to friends,^*
   but the way of the wicked leads astray.
²⁷ The lazy do not roast^* their game,
   but the diligent obtain precious wealth.^*
28 In the path of righteousness there is life,
   in walking its path there is no death.

13A wise child loves discipline,^*
   but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
² From the fruit of their words good people eat good things,
   but the desire of the treacherous is for wrongdoing.
³ Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives;
   those who open wide their lips come to ruin.
⁴ The appetite of the lazy craves, and gets nothing,
   while the appetite of the diligent is richly supplied.
⁵ The righteous hate falsehood,
   but the wicked act shamefully and disgracefully.
⁶ Righteousness guards one whose way is upright,
   but sin overthrows the wicked.
⁷ Some pretend to be rich, yet have nothing;
   others pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.
⁸ Wealth is a ransom for a person’s life,
   but the poor get no threats.
⁹ The light of the righteous rejoices,
   but the lamp of the wicked goes out.
¹⁰ By insolence the heedless make strife,
   but wisdom is with those who take advice.
¹¹ Wealth hastily gained^* will dwindle,
   but those who gather little by little will increase it.
¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
   but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
¹³ Those who despise the word bring destruction on themselves,
   but those who respect the commandment will be rewarded.
¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
   so that one may avoid the snares of death.
¹⁵ Good sense wins favour,
   but the way of the faithless is their ruin.^*
16 The clever do all things intelligently,
   but the fool displays folly.
¹⁷ A bad messenger brings trouble,
   but a faithful envoy, healing.
¹⁸ Poverty and disgrace are for the one who ignores instruction,
   but one who heeds reproof is honoured.
¹⁹ A desire realized 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 suffers harm.
²¹ Misfortune pursues sinners,
   but prosperity rewards the righteous.
²² The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,
   but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
²³ The field of the poor may yield much food,
   but it is swept away through injustice.
²⁴ Those who spare the rod hate their children,
   but those who love them are diligent to discipline them.
²⁵ The righteous have enough to satisfy their appetite,
   but the belly of the wicked is empty.