1 B alances of deceit an abomination to Jehovah, And a perfect weight His delight.

A false balance is an abomination to Jehovah; But a just weight is his delight.

2 P ride hath come, and shame cometh, And with the lowly wisdom.

When pride cometh, then cometh shame; But with the lowly is wisdom.

3 T he integrity of the upright leadeth them, And the perverseness of the treacherous destroyeth them.

The integrity of the upright shall guide them; But the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

4 W ealth profiteth not in a day of wrath, And righteousness delivereth from death.

Riches profit not in the day of wrath; But righteousness delivereth from death.

5 T he righteousness of the perfect maketh right his way, And by his wickedness doth the wicked fall.

The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way; But the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

6 T he righteousness of the upright delivereth them, And in mischief the treacherous are captured.

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them; But the treacherous shall be taken in their own iniquity.

7 I n the death of a wicked man, hope perisheth, And the expectation of the iniquitous hath been lost.

When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish; And the hope of iniquity perisheth.

8 T he righteous from distress is drawn out, And the wicked goeth in instead of him.

The righteous is delivered out of trouble, And the wicked cometh in his stead.

9 W ith the mouth a hypocrite corrupteth his friend, And by knowledge the righteous are drawn out.

With his mouth the godless man destroyeth his neighbor; But through knowledge shall the righteous be delivered.

10 I n the good of the righteous a city exulteth, And in the destruction of the wicked singing.

When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth; And when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

11 B y the blessing of the upright is a city exalted, And by the mouth of the wicked thrown down.

By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted; But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12 W hoso is despising his neighbour lacketh heart, And a man of understanding keepeth silence.

He that despiseth his neighbor is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

13 A busybody is revealing secret counsel, And the faithful of spirit is covering the matter.

He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; But he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter.

14 W ithout counsels do a people fall, And deliverance in a multitude of counsellors.

Where no wise guidance is, the people falleth; But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

15 E vil suffereth when he hath been surety a stranger, And whoso is hating suretyship is confident.

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it; But he that hateth suretyship is secure.

16 A gracious woman retaineth honour, And terrible retain riches.

A gracious woman obtaineth honor; And violent men obtain riches.

17 A kind man is rewarding his own soul, And the fierce is troubling his own flesh.

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul; But he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

18 T he wicked is getting a lying wage, And whoso is sowing righteousness -- a true reward.

The wicked earneth deceitful wages; But he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward.

19 R ightly righteousness for life, And whoso is pursuing evil -- for his own death.

He that is stedfast in righteousness shall attain unto life; And he that pursueth evil doeth it to his own death.

20 A n abomination to Jehovah the perverse of heart, And the perfect of the way His delight.

They that are perverse in heart are an abomination to Jehovah; But such as are perfect in their way are his delight.

21 H and to hand, the wicked is not acquitted, And the seed of the righteous hath escaped.

Though hand join in hand, the evil man shall not be unpunished; But the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

22 A ring of gold in the nose of a sow -- A fair woman and stubborn of behaviour.

As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, So is a fair woman that is without discretion.

23 T he desire of the righteous only good, The hope of the wicked transgression.

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

24 T here is who is scattering, and yet is increased, And who is keeping back from uprightness, only to want.

There is that scattereth, and increaseth yet more; And there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth only to want.

25 A liberal soul is made fat, And whoso is watering, he also is watered.

The liberal soul shall be made fat; And he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

26 W hoso is withholding corn, the people execrate him, And a blessing for the head of him who is selling.

He that withholdeth grain, the people shall curse him; But blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

27 W hoso is earnestly seeking good Seeketh a pleasing thing, And whoso is seeking evil -- it meeteth him.

He that diligently seeketh good seeketh favor; But he that searcheth after evil, it shall come unto him.

28 W hoso is confident in his wealth he falleth, And as a leaf, the righteous flourish.

He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; But the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.

29 W hoso is troubling his own house inheriteth wind, And a servant the fool to the wise of heart.

He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind; And the foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

30 T he fruit of the righteous a tree of life, And whoso is taking souls wise.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that is wise winneth souls.

31 L o, the righteous in the earth is recompensed, Surely also the wicked and the sinner!

Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: How much more the wicked and the sinner!