New Living Translation NLT
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 The LORD detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights.
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False scales are an abomination to ADONAI, but accurate weights please him.
2 Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
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First comes pride, then disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom.
3 Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
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The integrity of the upright guides them, but the duplicity of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.
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On the day of wrath, wealth doesn't help; 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 levels their way, but wickedness of the wicked makes them fall.
6 The godliness of good people rescues them; the ambition of treacherous people traps them.
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The righteousness of the upright rescues them, but the treacherous are trapped by their own intrigues.
7 When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength.
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When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; what he hopes for from evil comes to nothing.
8 The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.
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The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked comes to take his place.
9 With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous.
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With his mouth the hypocrite can ruin his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
10 The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die.
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When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is 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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By the blessing of the upright, a city is raised up; but the words of the wicked tear it down.
12 It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet.
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He who belittles another lacks good sense, whereas a person of discernment stays silent.
13 A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.
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A gossip goes 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 clever tactics an army is defeated, and victory comes from much planning.
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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He who guarantees a loan for a stranger will suffer, but refusing to underwrite is safe.
16 A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
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A gracious woman obtains honor; aggressive men obtain wealth.
17 Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.
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A man who is kind does himself good, but the cruel does harm to himself.
18 Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.
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The profits of the wicked are illusory; but those who sow righteousness gain a true reward.
19 Godly people find life; evil people find death.
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Genuine righteousness leads to life, but the pursuer of evil goes to his own death.
20 The LORD detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.
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The crooked-hearted are an abomination to ADONAI, but those sincere in their ways are his delight.
21 Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free.
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Depend on it: the evil will not go unpunished; but the offspring 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 the snout of a pig is a beautiful woman who lacks good sense.
23 The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment.
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The righteous desire only good, but what the wicked hope for brings wrath.
24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.
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Some give freely and still get richer, while others are stingy but grow still poorer.
25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
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The person who blesses others will prosper; he who satisfies others will be satisfied himself.
26 People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need.
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The people will curse him who withholds grain; but if he sells it, blessings will be on his head.
27 If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!
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He who strives for good obtains favor, but he who searches for evil - it comes to him!
28 Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.
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He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like sprouting leaves.
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 families inherit the wind, and the fool becomes slave 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 he who is wise wins souls.
31 If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?
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If the righteous are paid what they deserve here on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!
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.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.