New Living Translation NLT
Common English Bible CEB
1 The LORD detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights.
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The LORD detests dishonest scales, but delights in an accurate weight.
2 Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
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When pride comes, so does shame, but wisdom brings humility.
3 Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
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Integrity guides the virtuous, but dishonesty ruins the treacherous.
4 Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.
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Riches don't help in the day of wrath, but righteousness rescues from death.
5 The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.
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The righteousness of the innocent makes their path straight, but the wicked fall in their wickedness.
6 The godliness of good people rescues them; the ambition of treacherous people traps them.
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Those who do right are saved by their righteousness, but the untrustworthy are caught by their own desires.
7 When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength.
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When the wicked die, their hope perishes. Yes, any hope based on money perishes.
8 The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.
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The righteous are saved from distress, and the wicked take their place.
9 With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous.
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The godless destroy their neighbors by their words, but the righteous are saved by their knowledge.
10 The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die.
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When the righteous succeed, a city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
11 Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.
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A city is honored by the blessing of the virtuous; it is destroyed by the words of the wicked.
12 It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet.
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Whoever despises their neighbor lacks sense; a sensible person keeps quiet.
13 A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.
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A slanderer walks around revealing secrets, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.
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Without guidance, a people will fall, but there is victory with many counselors.
15 There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt; it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.
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Guaranteeing the debt of a stranger brings big trouble, but the one who refuses to shake hands will be secure.
16 A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
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A gracious woman gains honor; violent men gain only wealth.
17 Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.
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Kind persons benefit themselves, but cruel people harm themselves.
18 Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.
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The wicked earn false wages, but those who sow righteousness receive a true reward.
19 Godly people find life; evil people find death.
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The righteous are headed toward life, but those who pursue evil, toward death.
20 The LORD detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.
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The LORD detests a crooked heart, but he favors those whose path is innocent.
21 Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free.
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The evil person will surely not go unpunished, but the children of the righteous will escape.
22 A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
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Like a gold ring in a pig's nose is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
23 The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment.
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The desires of the righteous end up well, but the expectations of the wicked bring wrath.
24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.
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Those who give generously receive more, but those who are stingy with what is appropriate will grow needy.
25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
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Generous persons will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
26 People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need.
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People curse those who hoard grain, but they bless those who sell it.
27 If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!
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Those who look for good find favor, but those who seek evil—it will come to them.
28 Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.
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Those who trust in their wealth will wither, but the righteous will thrive like leafy trees.
29 Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise.
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Those who trouble their family will inherit the wind. The fool will be servant to the wise.
30 The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.
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The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the wise gather lives.
31 If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?
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If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the wicked and sinners?
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible