Young's Literal Translation YLT
New International Version NIV
1 Balances of deceit [are] an abomination to Jehovah, And a perfect weight [is] His delight.
1
The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.
2 Pride hath come, and shame cometh, And with the lowly [is] wisdom.
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When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright leadeth them, And the perverseness of the treacherous destroyeth them.
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The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
4 Wealth profiteth not in a day of wrath, And righteousness delivereth from death.
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Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the perfect maketh right his way, And by his wickedness doth the wicked fall.
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The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright delivereth them, And in mischief the treacherous are captured.
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The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
7 In the death of a wicked man, hope perisheth, And the expectation of the iniquitous hath been lost.
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Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of their power comes to nothing.
8 The righteous from distress is drawn out, And the wicked goeth in instead of him.
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The righteous person is rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.
9 With the mouth a hypocrite corrupteth his friend, And by knowledge the righteous are drawn out.
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With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.
10 In the good of the righteous a city exulteth, And in the destruction of the wicked [is] singing.
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When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
11 By the blessing of the upright is a city exalted, And by the mouth of the wicked thrown down.
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Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
12 Whoso is despising his neighbour lacketh heart, And a man of understanding keepeth silence.
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Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
13 A busybody is revealing secret counsel, And the faithful of spirit is covering the matter.
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A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
14 Without counsels do a people fall, And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counsellors.
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For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
15 Evil [one] suffereth when he hath been surety [for] a stranger, And whoso is hating suretyship is confident.
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Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.
16 A gracious woman retaineth honour, And terrible [men] retain riches.
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A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 A kind man is rewarding his own soul, And the fierce is troubling his own flesh.
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Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
18 The wicked is getting a lying wage, And whoso is sowing righteousness -- a true reward.
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A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
19 Rightly [is] righteousness for life, And whoso is pursuing evil -- for his own death.
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Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death.
20 An abomination to Jehovah [are] the perverse of heart, And the perfect of the way [are] His delight.
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The LORD detests those whose hearts are perverse, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
21 Hand to hand, the wicked is not acquitted, And the seed of the righteous hath escaped.
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Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.
22 A ring of gold in the nose of a sow -- A fair woman and stubborn of behaviour.
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Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous [is] only good, The hope of the wicked [is] transgression.
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The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
24 There is who is scattering, and yet is increased, And who is keeping back from uprightness, only to want.
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One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25 A liberal soul is made fat, And whoso is watering, he also is watered.
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A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
26 Whoso is withholding corn, the people execrate him, And a blessing [is] for the head of him who is selling.
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People curse the one who hoards grain, but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
27 Whoso is earnestly seeking good Seeketh a pleasing thing, And whoso is seeking evil -- it meeteth him.
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Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it.
28 Whoso is confident in his wealth he falleth, And as a leaf, the righteous flourish.
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Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
29 Whoso is troubling his own house inheriteth wind, And a servant [is] the fool to the wise of heart.
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Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.
30 The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life, And whoso is taking souls [is] wise.
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The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.
31 Lo, the righteous in the earth is recompensed, Surely also the wicked and the sinner!
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If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.