New American Standard Bible 1995

International Standard Version

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

1The LORD hates false scales, but he delights in accurate weights.

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

2When pride appears, disgrace accompanies it, but humility is present with wisdom.

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

3The integrity of the righteous guides them, but the hypocrisy of the treacherous destroys them.

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

4Wealth won't help in the time of judgment, but righteousness will deliver from death.

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

5The righteousness of the innocent creates a level path, but the wicked fall by their wickedness.

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

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

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

7When a wicked person dies, his hope vanishes; and what he expected from his scheming comes to nothing.

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

8The righteous person is delivered from trouble; it comes upon the wicked instead.

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

9By what he says, the godless person can destroy his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape.

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

10The city rejoices when the righteous prosper, and when the wicked perish there is jubilation.

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

11Through the blessing of the righteous a city is built up, but what the wicked say tears it down.

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

12Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but the discerning man controls his comments.

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

13Whoever spreads gossip betrays secrets, but the trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

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

14A nation falls through a lack of guidance, but victory comes through the counsel of many.

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

15Securing a loan for a stranger will bring suffering, but by refusing to do so, one remains safe.

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

16A gracious woman attains honor, but ruthless men attain wealth.

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

17A gracious man benefits himself, but the cruel person damages himself.

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

18Evil people earn deceptive wages, but those who plant righteousness are truly rewarded.

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

19Genuine righteousness leads to life, but whoever pursues evil will die.

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

20Devious minds are abhorrent to the LORD, but those whose ways are innocent are his delight.

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

21Be sure of this: the wicked will not go unpunished, but the descendants of the righteous will go free.

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

22Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.

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

23The desire of the righteous is to seek good, but the hope of the wicked results in wrath.

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.

24Those who give freely gain even more; others hold back what they owe, becoming even poorer.

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

25A generous person will prosper, and anyone who gives water will receive a flood in return.

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

26People will curse whoever withholds grain, but blessing will come to whoever is selling.

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

27The person seeking good will find favor, but anyone who searches for evil—it will find him!

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

28The person who trusts in his wealth will fall, but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.

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

29Whoever troubles his household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be a servant to the wise.

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

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who wins people is wise.

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

31If the righteous receive what they are due here on earth, how much more will the wicked and the sinner.

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

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.