1 The Lord detests a false balance,
but a just weight is his delight.
2 Pride is sure to be followed by shame,
but modesty is wisdom.
3 Their integrity guides the upright,
but the false are destroyed by their crookedness.
4 In the day of wrath riches are useless,
but righteousness saves from death.
5 The path of the blameless is smoothed by his righteousness,
but the wicked will fall by his wickedness.
6 The upright are saved by their righteousness,
but the false are caught in their evil desires.
7 When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes —
the hope of the godless perishes.
8 The righteous is rescued from trouble,
and the wicked takes his place.
9 By slander the godless would ruin his neighbour,
but the righteous are rescued by knowledge.
10 When the righteous flourish, the city rejoices;
when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
11 By the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted;
by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.
12 A man has no sense that despises his neighbour;
a man of prudence holds his tongue.
13 Who carries tales divulges secrets,
but a trustworthy man conceals a matter.
14 Where guidance is lacking, a people must fall;
but that people is safe that is rich in counsellors.
15 He who goes bail for another will suffer,
but he who abhors being surety is sure.
16 A gracious woman obtains honour,
but a throne of dishonour is she who hates justice.
Indolent men never come to wealth,
but riches are won by the men that are diligent.
17 The kind man does good to himself;
the cruel man injures himself.
18 The gain of the wicked is but an illusion,
but he who sows righteousness wins the true wages.
19 Devotion to righteousness leads to life;
the pursuit of wickedness ends in death.
20 The Lord abhors the mind that is crooked,
but those who walk blamelessly are his delight.
21 Most surely the wicked will not go unpunished,
but the righteous folk will escape.
22 Like a golden ring in the snout of a swine
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous will issue in good,
but the hope of the wicked in wrath.
24 One man is generous, yet grows ever richer;
another is mean, yet he only grows poorer.
25 The liberal soul will be enriched;
and he who waters, himself will be watered.
26 He who holds up corn will be cursed by the people,
but blessings will be on his head that sells it.
27 He who aims at the thing that is good will win favour,
but ruin will come upon him who seeks evil.
28 He who trusts in his riches will wither,
but like green leaves the righteous will flourish.
29 He that harms his household will reap the wind,
and the fool will be slave to the man of wisdom.
30 Life is the fruit of righteousness,
but rapine destroys men's lives.
31 If the righteous are punished on earth,
how much more the sinful and wicked!