Chapter 11

¹A false balance is an abomination to Yahweh,

But accurate weights are his delight.

²When pride comes, then comes shame,

But with humility comes wisdom.

³The integrity of the upright shall guide them,

But the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

⁴Riches don’t profit in the day of wrath,

But righteousness delivers from death.

⁵The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way,

But the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

⁶The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them,

But the unfaithful will be trapped by evil desires.

⁷When a wicked man dies, hope perishes,

And expectation of power comes to nothing.

⁸A righteous person is delivered out of trouble,

And the wicked takes his place.

⁹With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,

But the righteous will be delivered through knowledge.

¹⁰When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices.

When the wicked perish, there is shouting.

¹¹By the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted,

But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

¹²One who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom,

But a man of understanding holds his peace.

¹³One who brings gossip betrays a confidence,

But one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who keeps a secret.

¹⁴Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls,

But in the multitude of counselors there is victory.

¹⁵He who is collateral for a stranger will suffer for it,

But he who refuses pledges of collateral is secure.

¹⁶A gracious woman obtains honor,

But violent men obtain riches.

¹⁷The merciful man does good to his own soul,

But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

¹⁸Wicked people earn deceitful wages,

But one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

¹⁹He who is truly righteous gets life.

He who pursues evil gets death.

²⁰Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to Yahweh,

But those whose ways are blameless are his delight.

²¹Most assuredly, the evil man will not be unpunished,

But the seed of the righteous will be delivered.

²²Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout,

Is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

²³The desire of the righteous is only good.

The expectation of the wicked is wrath.

²⁴There is one who scatters, and increases yet more.

There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.

²⁵The liberal soul shall be made fat.

He who waters shall be watered also himself.

²⁶People curse someone who withholds grain,

But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

²⁷He who diligently seeks good seeks favor,

But he who searches after evil, it shall come to him.

²⁸He who trusts in his riches will fall,

But the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.

²⁹He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind.

The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.

He who is wise wins souls.

³¹Behold, the righteous shall be repaid in the earth;

How much more the wicked and the sinner!