New American Standard Bible 1995

New Living Translation

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

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

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

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

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

3Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches.

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

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

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

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

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

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

19Godly people find life; evil people find death.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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, And he who is wise wins souls.

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

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

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

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

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.