Living in Righteousness

¹Dishonest business practice[#11:1 The Hebrew phrase here literally means “scales of deception [false balances].”]

is something that Yahweh truly hates.

But it pleases him when we apply the right standards

of measurement.

²When you act with presumption,

convinced that you’re right,

don’t be surprised if you fall flat on your face!

But humility leads to wisdom.

³Integrity will lead you to success,

but treachery will destroy your dreams.

⁴When judgment day comes,

all the wealth of the world won’t help you one bit.

So be rich in righteousness,

for that’s the only thing that can save you in death.

⁵Those with good character walk on a smooth path,

with no detour or deviation.

But the wicked keep falling because of their own wickedness.

⁶Integrity will keep a good man from falling.

But the unbeliever is trapped,

held captive to his sinful desires.

⁷When an evil man dies, all hope is lost,

for his misplaced confidence goes in the coffin,

buried along with him.

⁸The righteous are snatched away from trouble,

and the wicked show up in their place.

⁹The teachings of hypocrites can destroy you,

but revelation-knowledge will rescue the righteous.

¹⁰The blessing that rests on the righteous

releases strength and favor to the entire city,

but shouts of joy will be heard when the wicked one dies.

¹¹The blessing of favor resting upon the righteous

influences a city to lift it higher,

but wicked leaders tear it apart by their words.

¹²To quarrel with a neighbor is senseless.[#11:12 Or “To disparage your neighbor is being heartless.”]

Bite your tongue; be wise and keep quiet!

¹³You can’t trust gossipers with a secret;

they’ll just go blab it all.

Put your confidence instead in a trusted friend,

for he will be faithful to keep it in confidence.

¹⁴People lose their way without wise leadership,

but a nation succeeds and stands in victory

when it has many good counselors to guide it.

¹⁵The evil man will do harm when confronted by a righteous man,

because he hates those who await good news.

¹⁶A gracious, generous woman

will be honored with a splendid reputation,

but the woman who hates the truth

lives with disgrace and is surrounded by men

who are cutthroats, only greedy for money.

¹⁷A man of kindness attracts favor,

while a cruel man attracts nothing but trouble.

¹⁸Evil people may get a short-term gain,[#11:18 Or “wages of deception.”]

but to sow seeds of righteousness

will bring a true and lasting reward.

¹⁹A son of righteousness experiences the abundant life,[#11:19 As translated from one Hebrew manuscript, the Aramaic, and the Septuagint. Most Hebrew manuscripts have “The one who pursues righteousness.”]

but the one who pursues evil hurries to his own death.

²⁰The Lord can’t stand the stubborn heart bent toward evil,

but he treasures those whose ways are pure.

²¹Assault your neighbor and you will certainly be punished,[#11:21 As translated from the Aramaic and the Targum (Hebrew-Aramaic commentary).]

but God will rescue the children of the godly.

²²A beautiful woman who abandons good morals

is like a fine gold ring dangling from a pig’s snout.

²³True lovers of God are filled with longings

for what is pleasing and good,

but the wicked can only expect doom.

²⁴Generosity brings prosperity,

but withholding from charity brings poverty.

²⁵Those who live to bless others

will have blessings heaped upon them,

and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings

will be saturated with favor.

²⁶People will curse the businessman with no ethics,

but the one with a social conscience receives praise from all.

²⁷Living your life seeking what is good for others brings untold favor,

but those who wish evil for others will find it coming back on them.

²⁸Keep trusting in your riches and down you’ll go!

But the lovers of God rise up like flowers in the spring.

²⁹The fool who brings trouble to his own family

will be cut out of the will,

and the family servant will do better than he.

³⁰But a life lived loving God bears lasting fruit,

for the one who is truly wise wins souls.

³¹If the righteous are barely saved,

what’s in store for all the wicked?