1 T he Lord hates a false weight, but a true weight is His joy.

A false balance and unrighteous dealings are extremely offensive and shamefully sinful to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.

2 W hen pride comes, then comes shame, but wisdom is with those who have no pride.

When swelling and pride come, then emptiness and shame come also, but with the humble (those who are lowly, who have been pruned or chiseled by trial, and renounce self) are skillful and godly Wisdom and soundness.

3 T he honor of good people will lead them, but those who hurt others will be destroyed by their own false ways.

The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the willful contrariness and crookedness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

4 R iches are of no use in the day of God’s anger, but being right with God saves from death.

Riches provide no security in any day of wrath and judgment, but righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) delivers from death.

5 T hose right with God, who are without blame, make a straight way for themselves, but the sinful will fall by their own wrong-doing.

The righteousness of the blameless shall rectify and make plain their way and keep it straight, but the wicked shall fall by their own wickedness.

6 B eing right with God will save the honest man, but those who hurt others will be trapped by their wrong desires.

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them, but the treacherous shall be taken in their own iniquity and greedy desire.

7 W hen a sinful man dies, his hope dies with him, and all his power comes to nothing.

When the wicked man dies, his hope perishes; and the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.

8 T he one who is right with God is kept from trouble, but the sinful get into trouble instead.

The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked gets into it instead.

9 T he sinful man destroys his neighbor with his mouth, but those who are fair will be saved through knowing God.

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge and superior discernment shall the righteous be delivered.

10 T he city is glad when everything goes well with those who are right with God, and there are shouts of joy when the sinful are destroyed.

When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, but when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

11 A city is honored by the good things that come to the faithful, but it is torn down by the mouth of the sinful.

By the blessing of the influence of the upright and God’s favor the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12 H e who hates his neighbor does not think well, but a man of understanding keeps quiet.

He who belittles and despises his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding keeps silent.

13 H e who is always telling stories makes secrets known, but he who can be trusted keeps a thing hidden.

He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy and faithful in spirit keeps the matter hidden.

14 A nation falls where there is no wise leading, but it is safe where there are many wise men who know what to do.

Where no wise guidance is, the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

15 H e who puts himself as trust for what a stranger owes to another will suffer for it, but he who hates to be trusted for what another owes is safe.

He who becomes security for an outsider shall smart for it, but he who hates suretyship is secure.

16 A kind woman gets honor, and bad men get riches.

A gracious and good woman wins honor, and violent men win riches but a woman who hates righteousness is a throne of dishonor for him.

17 T he man who shows loving-kindness does himself good, but the man without pity hurts himself.

The merciful, kind, and generous man benefits himself, but he who is cruel and callous brings on himself retribution.

18 T he sinful man earns false pay, but he who spreads what is right and good gets pay that is sure.

The wicked man earns deceitful wages, but he who sows righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) shall have a sure reward.

19 H e who will not be moved from being right with God will live, but he who goes for what is bad will bring about his own death.

He who is steadfast in righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) attains to life, but he who pursues evil does it to his own death.

20 T he Lord hates those who are sinful in heart, but those who walk without blame are His joy.

They who are willfully contrary in heart are extremely disgusting and shamefully vile in the eyes of the Lord, but such as are blameless and wholehearted in their ways are His delight!

21 K now for sure that the sinful man will not go without being punished, but the children of those who are right with God will be saved.

Assuredly the wicked shall not go unpunished, but the multitude of the righteous shall be delivered.

22 A beautiful woman who does not think well is like a gold ring in the nose of a pig.

As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman who is without discretion.

23 T he desire of those who are right with God is only good, but the hope of the sinful is anger.

The desire of the righteous brings only good, but the expectation of the wicked brings wrath.

24 T here is one who is free in giving, and yet he grows richer. And there is one who keeps what he should give, but he ends up needing more.

There are those who scatter abroad, and yet increase more; there are those who withhold more than is fitting or what is justly due, but it results only in want.

25 T he man who gives much will have much, and he who helps others will be helped himself.

The liberal person shall be enriched, and he who waters shall himself be watered.

26 T he people curse him who keeps grain for himself, but good comes to him who sells it.

The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is upon the head of him who sells it.

27 H e who looks for good finds favor, but he who looks for wrong-doing will have bad come to him.

He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but he who searches after evil, it shall come upon him.

28 H e who trusts in his riches will fall, but those who are right with God will grow like a green leaf.

He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident in his riches shall fall, but the righteous shall flourish like a green bough.

29 H e who troubles his own house will be given the wind, and the foolish will serve those with a wise heart.

He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind, and the foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

30 T he fruit of those who are right with God is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives.

31 I f those who are right with God will be paid on earth, how much more the sinful and the wrong-doer!

Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed on earth; how much more the wicked and the sinner! And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of the ungodly and wicked ?