Proverbs 11-14

International Standard Version

² When pride appears, disgrace accompanies it,
    but humility is present with wisdom.
³ The integrity of the righteous guides them,
    but the hypocrisy of the treacherous destroys them.
⁴ Wealth won’t help in the time of judgment,^[a]
    but righteousness will deliver from death.

⁵ The righteousness of the innocent creates a level path,
    but the wicked fall by their wickedness.
⁶ The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the treacherous are trapped by their evil desires.

⁷ When a wicked person dies, his hope vanishes;^[b]
    and what he^[c] expected from his scheming comes to nothing.
⁸ The righteous person is delivered from trouble;
    it comes upon the wicked instead.
⁹ By what he says, the godless person can destroy his neighbor,
    but through knowledge the righteous escape.

¹⁰ The city rejoices when the righteous prosper,
    and when the wicked perish there is jubilation.
¹¹ Through the blessing of the righteous a city is built up,
    but what the wicked say tears it down.

¹² Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
    but the discerning man controls his comments.
¹³ Whoever spreads gossip betrays secrets,
    but the trustworthy person^[d] keeps a confidence.

¹⁴ A nation falls through a lack of guidance,
    but victory comes through the counsel of many.^[e]

¹⁵ Securing a loan for a stranger will bring suffering,
    but by refusing to do so, one remains safe.

¹⁶ A gracious woman attains honor,^[f]
    but^[g] ruthless men attain^[h] wealth.
¹⁷ A gracious man benefits himself,
    but the cruel person damages himself.

¹⁸ Evil people earn deceptive wages,
    but those who plant righteousness are truly rewarded.
¹⁹ Genuine righteousness leads to life,
    but whoever pursues evil will die.
²⁰ Devious minds are abhorrent to the Lord,
    but those whose ways are innocent are his delight.
²¹ Be sure of this:^[i] the wicked will not go unpunished,
    but the descendants of the righteous will go free.

²² Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
    is a beautiful woman without discretion.

²³ The desire of the righteous is to seek good,
    but the hope of the wicked results in wrath.

²⁴ Those who give freely gain even more;
    others hold back what they owe, becoming even poorer.
²⁵ A generous person will prosper,
    and anyone who gives water will receive a flood in return.
²⁶ People will curse whoever withholds grain,
    but blessing will come to whoever is selling.

²⁷ The person seeking good will find favor,
    but anyone who searches for evil—it will find him!

²⁸ The person who trusts in his wealth will fall,
    but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.

²⁹ Whoever troubles his household will inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be a servant to the wise.

³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is^[j] a tree of life,
    and the one who wins people is wise.^[k]
31 If the righteous receive what they are due here on earth,
    how much more will the wicked and the sinner.

⁴ A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband,
    but a wife^[l] who puts him to shame is like bone cancer.^[m]
5 The plans of the righteous are just,
    but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

⁶ The words of the wicked lead to^[n] bloodshed,
    but the speech of the upright delivers them.
⁷ After they’re overthrown, the wicked won’t be found,
    but the house of the righteous stands firm.

⁸ A man is praised because of his wise words,
    but the perverted mind^[o] will be despised.
⁹ It’s better to be unimportant, yet have a servant,
    than to pretend to be important, but lack food.
¹⁰ The righteous person looks out for the welfare of his livestock,
    but even^[p] the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
¹¹ Whoever tills his soil will have a lot to eat,
    but anyone who pursues fantasies lacks sense.^[q]

¹² The wicked desires what evil people gain,
    but the foundation^[r] of the righteous is productive.
¹³ An evil man’s sinful speech ensnares him,
    but the righteous person escapes from trouble.

¹⁴ By his fruitful speech a man can remain satisfied,
    and a man’s handiwork will reward him.

¹⁵ The lifestyle of the fool is right in his own opinion,
    but wise is the man who listens to advice.
¹⁶ The anger of a fool becomes readily apparent,
    but the prudent person overlooks an insult.

¹⁷ The truth teller speaks what is right,
    but the false witness speaks what is^[s] deceitful.
¹⁸ Some speak rashly like the cutting of a sword,
    but what the wise say promotes healing.
¹⁹ A truthful saying^[t] is trusted forever,
    but the liar^[u] only for a moment.
²⁰ Deceit is at home^[v] in the heart of those who plan evil,
    but those who promote peace rejoice.

²¹ No harm overwhelms the righteous,
    but the wicked overflow with trouble.

²² Deceitful speech is reprehensible to the Lord,
    but those who act faithfully are his delight.

²³ A prudent man keeps what he knows to himself,^[w]
    but the hearts of fools shout forth their foolishness.
²⁴ The diligent will take control,
    but the lazy will be put to forced labor.

²⁵ A person’s anxiety weighs down his heart,
    but an appropriate word is encouraging.

²⁶ The righteous person is cautious with respect to his neighbor,
    but the lifestyle of the wicked leads them astray.

²⁷ The lazy person does not roast what he has hunted,
    but diligence is one’s most important possession.

²⁸ In the pathway to righteousness there is life,
    and in that lifestyle there is no death.

⁴ The lazy person craves, yet receives nothing,
    but the desires of the diligent are satisfied.

⁵ A righteous person hates deceit,
    but the wicked person is shameful and disgraceful.
⁶ Righteousness protects the blameless,
    but wickedness brings down^[aa] the sinner.

⁷ One person pretends to be wealthy, but has nothing;
    another pretends to be poor, yet is rich.
⁸ The life of a wealthy man may be held for ransom,
    but whoever is poor receives no threats.

⁹ The light of the righteous shines,
    but the lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

¹⁰ Arrogance only brings quarreling,
    but those receiving advice are wise.

¹¹ Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away,
    but whoever works diligently increases his prosperity.^[ab]

¹² Delayed hope makes the heart ill,
    but fulfilled longing is a tree of life.

¹³ Anyone who despises a word of advice will pay for it,
    but whoever heeds a command will be rewarded.
¹⁴ What the wise have to teach is a fountain of life
    and causes someone to avoid the snares of death.
¹⁵ Good understanding produces grace,
    but the lifestyle of the treacherous never changes.^[ac]

¹⁶ Every sensible person acts from knowledge,
    but a fool demonstrates folly.
¹⁷ An evil messenger stumbles into trouble,
    but a faithful envoy brings healing.

¹⁸ Poverty and shame are for those who ignore correction,
    but whoever listens to instruction gains honor.

¹⁹ Fulfilled longing is sweet to the soul,
    but avoiding evil is detestable to the fool.
²⁰ Whoever keeps company with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools suffers harm.

²¹ Disaster pursues the sinful,
    but good will reward the righteous.

²² A good person leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren,
    but the wealth of the wicked is reserved for the righteous.
²³ The field of the poor may produce much food,
    but it can be swept away through injustice.

²⁴ Whoever does not discipline^[ad] his son hates him,
    but whoever loves him is diligent to correct him.

²⁵ A righteous person eats to his heart’s content,
    but the stomach of the wicked remains hungry.

² Someone whose conduct is upright fears the Lord,
    but whoever is devious in his ways despises him.

³ What a fool says brings^[ae] a rod to his back,
    but the words of the wise protect them.

⁴ Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean,
    but profits come through the strength of the ox.

⁵ A trustworthy witness does not deceive,
    but a false witness spews lies.

⁶ A mocker seeks wisdom and finds^[af] none,
    but learning comes easily to someone who understands.

⁷ Stay away from a foolish man,
    for you will not find competent advice.

⁸ The wisdom of the prudent helps him know how to live,
    but a fool’s stupidity deceives him.

⁹ Fools make fun of guilt,
    but among the upright there are good intentions.

¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness—
    an outsider cannot share in its joy.

¹¹ The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
¹² There is a pathway that seems right to a man,
    but in the end it’s a road to death.

¹³ Even in laughter there may be heartache,
    and at the end of joy there may be grief.

¹⁴ The faithless one will pay for his behavior,^[ag]
    but a good man will be rewarded^[ah] for his.
¹⁵ An unthinking person believes everything,
    but the prudent one thinks before acting.^[ai]
16 The wise person fears and turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and overconfident.
¹⁷ A quick tempered person does foolish things,
    and a devious man is hated.

¹⁸ The naïve inherit folly,
    but the careful are crowned with knowledge.

¹⁹ Evil men will bow down in the presence of good men
    and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰ The poor person is shunned by his neighbor,
    but many are the friends of the wealthy.
²¹ Whoever despises his neighbor sins,
    but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.

²² Won’t those who plot evil go astray?
    But gracious love and truth are for those who plan what is good.
²³ In hard work there is always profit,
    but too much chattering^[aj] leads to poverty.

²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wealth,
    but the stupidity of fools is just that—stupidity!

²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,
    but the person who lies is deceitful.

²⁶ Rock-solid security is found^[ak] in the fear of the Lord,
    and within it one’s children find refuge.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
    enabling anyone to escape the snares of death.

²⁸ A large population is a king’s glory,
    but a shortage of people is a ruler’s ruin.

²⁹ Being slow to get angry compares to great understanding
    as being quick-tempered compares to stupidity.
³⁰ A tranquil mind brings life to one’s body,
    but jealousy causes one’s bones to rot.

³¹ Whoever oppresses the poor defies their Creator,
    but whoever is kind to the needy honors them.
³² The wicked person is thrown down by his own wrongdoing,
    but the righteous person has a place of safety in death.^[al]

³³ Wisdom is at rest in the mind of the discerning—
    even fools know this.^[am]

³⁴ Righteousness makes a nation great,
    but sin diminishes^[an] any people.

³⁵ The king approves the wise servant,
    but he is angry at anyone who acts shamefully.