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!