1 Balances of deceit [are] an abomination to Jehovah, And a perfect weight [is] His delight. 2 Pride hath come, and shame cometh, And with the lowly [is] wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright leadeth them, And the perverseness of the treacherous destroyeth them. 4 Wealth profiteth not in a day of wrath, And righteousness delivereth from death. 5 The righteousness of the perfect maketh right his way, And by his wickedness doth the wicked fall. 6 The righteousness of the upright delivereth them, And in mischief the treacherous are captured. 7 In the death of a wicked man, hope perisheth, And the expectation of the iniquitous hath been lost. 8 The righteous from distress is drawn out, And the wicked goeth in instead of him. 9 With the mouth a hypocrite corrupteth his friend, And by knowledge the righteous are drawn out. 10 In the good of the righteous a city exulteth, And in the destruction of the wicked [is] singing. 11 By the blessing of the upright is a city exalted, And by the mouth of the wicked thrown down. 12 Whoso is despising his neighbour lacketh heart, And a man of understanding keepeth silence. 13 A busybody is revealing secret counsel, And the faithful of spirit is covering the matter. 14 Without counsels do a people fall, And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counsellors. 15 Evil [one] suffereth when he hath been surety [for] a stranger, And whoso is hating suretyship is confident. 16 A gracious woman retaineth honour, And terrible [men] retain riches. 17 A kind man is rewarding his own soul, And the fierce is troubling his own flesh. 18 The wicked is getting a lying wage, And whoso is sowing righteousness -- a true reward. 19 Rightly [is] righteousness for life, And whoso is pursuing evil -- for his own death. 20 An abomination to Jehovah [are] the perverse of heart, And the perfect of the way [are] His delight. 21 Hand to hand, the wicked is not acquitted, And the seed of the righteous hath escaped. 22 A ring of gold in the nose of a sow -- A fair woman and stubborn of behaviour. 23 The desire of the righteous [is] only good, The hope of the wicked [is] transgression. 24 There is who is scattering, and yet is increased, And who is keeping back from uprightness, only to want. 25 A liberal soul is made fat, And whoso is watering, he also is watered. 26 Whoso is withholding corn, the people execrate him, And a blessing [is] for the head of him who is selling. 27 Whoso is earnestly seeking good Seeketh a pleasing thing, And whoso is seeking evil -- it meeteth him. 28 Whoso is confident in his wealth he falleth, And as a leaf, the righteous flourish. 29 Whoso is troubling his own house inheriteth wind, And a servant [is] the fool to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life, And whoso is taking souls [is] wise. 31 Lo, the righteous in the earth is recompensed, Surely also the wicked and the sinner! | |