¹ The Lord detests dishonest scales,
but accurate weights find favor with him

² When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.

³ The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

⁴ Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.

⁵ The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

⁶ The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.

⁷ Hopes placed in mortals die with them;
all the promise of their power comes to nothing.

⁸ The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.

⁹ With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.

¹⁰ When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

¹¹ Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.

¹² Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.

¹³ A gossip betrays a confidence,
but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

¹⁴ For lack of guidance a nation falls,
but victory is won through many advisers.

¹⁵ Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer,
but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.

¹⁶ A kindhearted woman gains honor,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.

¹⁷ Those who are kind benefit themselves,
but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

¹⁸ A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

¹⁹ Truly the righteous attain life,
but whoever pursues evil finds death.

²⁰ The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,
but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.

²¹ Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will go free.

²² Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

²⁴ One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

²⁵ A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

²⁶ People curse the one who hoards grain,
but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.

²⁷ Whoever seeks good finds favor,
but evil comes to one who searches for it.

²⁸ Those who trust in their riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

²⁹ Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.

³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and the one who is wise saves lives.

³¹ If the righteous receive their due on earth,
how much more the ungodly and the sinner!