Font Size
Proverbs 11
New Catholic Bible
Proverbs 11
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 11
The Fruit of the Righteous . . .[a]
1 False scales are an abomination to the Lord,
but a true weight is pleasing to him.
2 When pride is nurtured, disgrace soon follows,
but wisdom is the hallmark of the humble.
3 The upright are guarded by their integrity;
the treacherous are destroyed by their own duplicity.
4 Riches will be of no avail on the day of wrath,[b]
but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The virtue of the honest man keeps his way straight,
whereas the evil man falls as a result of his wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright saves them,
but the treacherous are trapped by their own schemes.
7 When a wicked man dies, all his expectations die with him,
and the hope he placed in his riches comes to nought.
8 The righteous man escapes affliction,
and the wicked man incurs it instead.
9 With his mouth the godless man seeks to ruin his neighbor,
but knowledge enables the righteous to be delivered.
10 The city rejoices when the upright prosper,
and when the wicked are ruined, there is exultation.
11 Through the blessing of the righteous a city is raised,
but it is destroyed by the mouth of the wicked.
12 A man who lacks sense belittles a neighbor,
but an intelligent man remains silent.
13 One who gossips reveals secrets,
but a trustworthy man keeps things hidden.
14 For lack of leadership a nation collapses;
safety is assured with a multitude of advisers.
15 Whoever puts up bail for a stranger will suffer loss,
but the one who refuses to do so will be safe.
16 A gracious woman acquires honor,
while the woman who hates virtue is covered with shame.
Those who are lazy become destitute,
but those who are diligent gain wealth.[c]
17 A kind man benefits himself,
whereas a cruel man hurts himself.
18 The labors of the wicked man produce little profit,
but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness finds life,
but the one who pursues evil is on the road to death.
20 Those with perverse hearts are abhorrent to the Lord,
but those whose ways are blameless are dear to him.
21 You need have no fear that the wicked will not be punished,
but those who are righteous will escape harm.
22 Like a ring of gold[d] in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman without good sense.
23 The righteous desire only what is good;
the expectation of the wicked ends in wrath.
24 One man gives lavishly and increases his wealth,
while another is tight-fisted and ends up impoverished.[e]
25 A generous person will be enriched;
he who refreshes others will also be refreshed.
26 The people curse those who hoard grain,
but the one who sells it earns their blessing.
27 Whoever strives for good earns great acclaim,
but the one who pursues evil will be afflicted by it.
28 Whoever places his trust in riches will fall,
but the righteous will flourish like sprouting leaves.
29 Whoever causes trouble for his family inherits the wind,
and a fool will become a servant to the wise man.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and the wise man wins souls.[f]
31 If the just man receives his deserts on earth,
how much more will the wicked and the sinner!
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:1 Once again we see the opposition between the righteous and the wicked. For there are two ways of life, and no person escapes choosing one of them. The reward of the righteous is already inscribed in the heart in some manner in his life, whereas the wicked has no valid perspective before him. The themes of kindness and mercy are joined to those of truth, uprightness, and good.
- Proverbs 11:4 Day of wrath: i.e., the day of judgment (see Isa 10:3; Zep 1:18).
- Proverbs 11:16 This verse follows the Greek. The Hebrew reads: “A kindhearted woman gains respect,/ but ruthless men acquire wealth.”
- Proverbs 11:22 Ring of gold: usually worn by women on their nose (see Gen 24:47; Ezek 16:20).
- Proverbs 11:24 Generosity brings greater blessings and prosperity (see Prov 3:9-10; Ps 112:9; Eccl 11:1-2; 2 Cor 6:9), while the one who is tight-fisted makes no friends and harms himself (see Prov 21:13).
- Proverbs 11:30 And the wise man wins souls: the Greek reads: “but violence takes lives away.”
Proverbs 11
New International Version
Proverbs 11
New International Version
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.(E)
5 The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,(I)
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.(J)
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.(K)
8 The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.(N)
9 With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.(O)
10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;(P)
when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.(Q)
11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,(R)
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.(S)
12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,(T)
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.(U)
15 Whoever puts up security(Z) for a stranger will surely suffer,
but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.(AA)
16 A kindhearted woman gains honor,(AB)
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 Those who are kind benefit themselves,
but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.(AC)
20 The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,(AF)
but he delights(AG) in those whose ways are blameless.(AH)
21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will go free.(AI)
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
26 People curse the one who hoards grain,
but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
27 Whoever seeks good finds favor,
but evil comes to one who searches for it.(AL)
28 Those who trust in their riches will fall,(AM)
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.(AN)
29 Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.(AO)
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,(AP)
and the one who is wise saves lives.
31 If the righteous receive their due(AQ) on earth,
how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:7 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate, Syriac and Targum When the wicked die, their hope perishes; / all they expected from
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.