New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

1The LORD detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights.

1A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight.

2Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

2When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.

3Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.

3The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.

4Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.

4Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.

5The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.

5The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

6The godliness of good people rescues them; the ambition of treacherous people traps them.

6The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.

7When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength.

7When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, And the hope of strong men perishes.

8The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.

8The righteous is delivered from trouble, But the wicked takes his place.

9With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous.

9With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

10The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die.

10When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.

11Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.

11By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

12It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet.

12He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent.

13A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.

13He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.

14Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.

14Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.

15There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt; it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.

15He who is guarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it, But he who hates being a guarantor is secure.

16A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.

16A gracious woman attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches.

17Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.

17The merciful man does himself good, But the cruel man does himself harm.

18Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.

18The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward.

19Godly people find life; evil people find death.

19He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.

20The LORD detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.

20The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless in their walk are His delight.

21Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free.

21Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered.

22A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.

22As a ring of gold in a swine's snout So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

23The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment.

23The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

24Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.

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 want.

25The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

25The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered.

26People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need.

26He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

27If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!

27He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, But he who seeks evil, evil will come to him.

28Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.

28He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.

29Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise.

29He who troubles his own house will inherit wind, And the foolish will be servant to the wisehearted.

30The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.

31If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?

31If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner!

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org