¹A false balance is an abomination to the LORD ,

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 neighbour ,

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 neighbour 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 counsellors 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 honour ,

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 the LORD ,

but those whose ways are blameless are his delight .

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

but the offspring 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 favour ,

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 !