¹False scales are an abomination to the Lord,

But a full weight is to his liking.

²When haughtiness comes,

Then so does humiliation,

But wisdom is with the modest.

³The integrity of the upright will lead them,

But the perverseness of the treacherous will ravage them.

⁴Wealth will not be of benefit on the day of wrath,

But righteousness will deliver from death.

⁵The righteousness of the integrous man will direct his way,

But the wicked will fall by his wickedness.

⁶The righteousness of the upright will save them,

But the treacherous will be caught in their intrigue.

⁷When a wicked man dies,

His hope perishes,

And the expectation of the iniquitous

Comes to nothing.

⁸The righteous man is delivered from adversity,

But the wicked man enters into it instead of him.

⁹A profane person brings ruin on his neighbour with his mouth,

But the righteous will be delivered by knowledge.

¹⁰A city rejoices in the goodness of the righteous,

And there is jubilation at the demise of the wicked.

¹¹By the blessing of the upright,

The city is exalted,

But by the mouth of the wicked,

It is demolished.

¹²The weak-minded man despises his neighbour,

But a man of understanding keeps silence.

¹³He who goes about gossiping reveals a secret,

But he of a dependable spirit

Conceals a matter.

¹⁴Without guidance a people will fall,

But safety is found

In taking much counsel.

¹⁵He who becomes security for a stranger

Will surely suffer evil,

But he who hates striking deals

Is secure.

¹⁶A gracious wife acquires honour,

And the mighty acquire riches.

¹⁷A kind man benefits his own self,

But a cruel man causes grief to his own body.

¹⁸An evil man engages in fraudulent activity,

But he who sows righteousness

Has a durable reward.

¹⁹As righteousness is to one's life,

So is the pursuit of evil to one's death.

²⁰The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord,

But those of integrity in their way are his delight.

²¹Whomever the wicked shakes hands with,

He will not be acquitted,

But the seed of the righteous man will escape.

²²A beautiful woman who lacks discernment

Is a golden ring in the nose of a pig.

²³The yearning of the righteous is only for what is right;

The prospect of the wicked is wrath.

²⁴One distributes liberally,

And more is added to him,

But he who withholds more than what is fair

Will surely become in need.

²⁵A generous person will be richly satisfied,

And he who gives plenty to drink

Will in return receive much rain.

²⁶As for him who withholds corn,

The people will curse him,

But he who trades it

Has a blessing on his head.

²⁷He who diligently seeks good

Seeks what is acceptable,

But as for him who is intent on evil,

It will come on him.

²⁸He who trusts in his riches will fall,

But the righteous will thrive like foliage.

²⁹He who causes his household trouble

Will inherit thin air,

And a fool will be a servant to the wise of heart.

³⁰The fruit of the righteous is the tree of life,

And he who takes care of spiritual needs is wise.

³¹Behold, the righteous in the land will be recompensed.

How much the other way with the wicked and sinner!