1A false balance is an abomination to the LORD,

But a just weight is His delight.

2When pride comes, then comes dishonor;

But with the humble there is wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright will guide them,

But the perversity of the treacherous will destroy them.

4Riches do not benefit on the day of wrath,

But righteousness rescues from death.

5The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way,

But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright will rescue them,

But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.

7When a wicked person dies, his expectation will perish,

And the hope of strong people perishes.

8The righteous is rescued from trouble,

But the wicked [a]takes his place.

9With his mouth the godless person destroys his neighbor,

But through knowledge the righteous will be rescued.

10When things go well for the righteous, the city rejoices,

And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.

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

But by the mouth of the wicked, it is torn down.

12One who despises his neighbor lacks [b]sense,

But a person of understanding keeps silent.

13One who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,

But one who is [c]trustworthy conceals a matter.

14Where there is no guidance the people fall,

But in an abundance of counselors there is [d]victory.

15One who is a guarantor for a stranger will certainly suffer for it,

But one who hates [e]being a guarantor is secure.

16A gracious woman attains honor,

And ruthless men attain riches.

17A merciful person does [f]himself good,

But the cruel person [g]does himself harm.

18A wicked person earns deceptive wages,

But one who sows righteousness gets a true reward.

19One who is steadfast in righteousness attains life,

But one who pursues evil attains his own death.

20The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD,

But the blameless in their [h]walk are His delight.

21[i]Be assured, the evil person will not go unpunished,

But the [j]descendants of the righteous will be rescued.

22As a ring of gold in a pig’s snout

So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

23The desire of the righteous is only good,

But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

24There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,

And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in poverty.

25A [k]generous person will be [l]prosperous,

And one who gives others plenty of water will himself be given plenty.

26One who withholds grain, the people will curse him,

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

27One who diligently seeks good seeks favor,

But one who seeks evil, evil will come to him.

28One who trusts in his riches will fall,

But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.

29One who troubles his own house will inherit wind,

And the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.

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

And one who is wise [m]gains souls.

31If the righteous will be repaid on the earth,

How much more the wicked and the sinner!