Proverbs 11:12-31

12 Whoever ¹belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.

13 Whoever ²goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

14 Where there is ³no guidance, a people falls, ⁴but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

15 ⁵Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.

16 ⁶A gracious woman gets honor, and ⁷violent men get riches.

17 ⁸A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who ⁹sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness ¹⁰will live, but ¹¹he who pursues evil will die.

20 Those of ¹²crooked heart are ¹³an abomination to the LORD, but those of ¹⁴blameless ways are ¹⁵his delight.

21 ¹⁶Be assured, ¹⁷an evil person will not go unpunished, but ¹⁸the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.

22 Like ¹⁹a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.

23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good; ²⁰the expectation of the wicked in wrath.

24 ²¹One gives ²²freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

25 ²³Whoever brings blessing ²⁴will be enriched, and ²⁵one who waters will himself be watered.

26 ²⁶The people curse him who holds back grain, but ²⁷a blessing is on the head of him who ²⁸sells it.

27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,^[a] but evil comes to ²⁹him who searches for it.

28 Whoever ³⁰trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will ³¹flourish like a green leaf.

29 Whoever ³²troubles his own household will ³³inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

30 The fruit of the righteous is ³⁴a tree of life, and whoever ³⁵captures souls is wise.

31 If ³⁶the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 14:21; [Matthew 7:1]
• 2. Proverbs 20:19; Leviticus 19:16
• 3. Proverbs 15:22; Proverbs 20:18; Proverbs 24:6
• 4. Proverbs 15:22; Proverbs 20:18; Proverbs 24:6
• 5. [Proverbs 6:1; Job 17:3]
• 6. [Proverbs 31:30]
• 7. [Luke 11:21]
• 8. [Matthew 5:7]; See Matthew 25:34-40
• 9. Hosea 10:12; Galatians 6:8, 9; [James 3:18]
• 10. Proverbs 10:16; Proverbs 19:23
• 11. [Romans 6:23; Galatians 6:8]
• 12. [Proverbs 17:20]
• 13. Proverbs 12:22; Proverbs 16:5
• 14. Proverbs 13:6; Psalms 119:1
• 15. 1 Chronicles 29:17
• 16. Proverbs 16:5
• 17. Proverbs 12:7; [Psalms 37:2, 9]; See Isaiah 28:15-18
• 18. See Psalms 112:2
• 19. [Genesis 24:47; Isaiah 3:21; Ezekiel 16:12]
• 20. Romans 2:8, 9
• 21. Proverbs 13:7
• 22. Psalms 37:21; Psalms 112:9; [Proverbs 19:17]
• 23. See 2 Corinthians 9:6-11
• 24. Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 28:25
• 25. [Matthew 7:2]
• 26. Proverbs 24:24
• 27. [Job 29:13]
• 28. [Genesis 42:6]
• 29. See Psalms 7:16
• 30. See Psalms 49:6
• 31. Jeremiah 17:8; See Psalms 92:12
• 32. Proverbs 15:27
• 33. [Ecclesiastes 5:16]
• 34. See Proverbs 3:18
• 35. Daniel 12:3; James 5:20; See 1 Corinthians 9:19-22
• 36. [Jeremiah 25:29; 1 Peter 4:18]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or acceptance