Holman Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

1Dishonest scales are detestable to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.

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

2When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.

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

3The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them.

3Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.

4Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath, but righteousness rescues from death.

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

5The righteousness of the blameless clears his path, but the wicked person will fall because of his wickedness.

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

6The righteousness of the upright rescues them, but the treacherous are trapped by their own desires.

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

7When the wicked man dies, his expectation comes to nothing, and hope placed in wealth vanishes.

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

8The righteous one is rescued from trouble; in his place, the wicked one goes in.

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

9With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

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

10When the righteous thrive, a city rejoices, and when the wicked die, there is joyful shouting.

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

11A city is built up by the blessing of the upright, but it is torn down by the mouth of the wicked.

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

12Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks sense, but a man with understanding keeps silent.

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

13A gossip goes around revealing a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

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

14Without guidance, people fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance.

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

15If someone puts up security for a stranger, he will suffer for it, but the one who hates such agreements is protected.

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

16A gracious woman gains honor, but violent men gain only riches.

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

17A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings disaster on himself.

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

18The wicked man earns an empty wage, but the one who sows righteousness, a true reward.

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

19Genuine righteousness leads to life, but pursuing evil leads to death.

19Godly people find life; evil people find death.

20Those with twisted minds are detestable to the LORD, but those with blameless conduct are His delight.

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

21Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.

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

22A beautiful woman who rejects good sense is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.

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

23The desire of the righteous turns out well, but the hope of the wicked leads to wrath.

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

24One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.

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

25A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water.

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

26People will curse anyone who hoards grain, but a blessing will come to the one who sells it.

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

27The one who searches for what is good finds favor, but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him.

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

28Anyone trusting in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage.

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

29The one who brings ruin on his household will inherit the wind, and a fool will be a slave to someone whose heart is wise.

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

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, but violence takes lives.

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

31If the righteous will be repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and sinful.

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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.