The Holy Bible – Knox Translation
The Book of Proverbs
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Chapter 11
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1
A false balance the Lord hates; nothing but full weight will content him.
2
Pride is neighbour to disesteem; humility to wisdom.
3
The innocence of the upright guides them safely; the treacherous by their own plots are destroyed.
4
When the time for reckoning comes, little shall wealth avail; right living is death’s avoiding.
5
An honest purpose clears a man’s path; the wicked are entangled by their own scheming.
6
For his honesty, the upright man shall go free; not so the wrong-doer, caught in the meshes of his own net.
7
No hope follows the godless to the grave; nothing left, now, of all their anxious longing.
8
Honesty shall yet go free, and a knave be heir to its troubles.
9
False speech the hypocrite will use to ruin his neighbour; true knowledge is the saving of the just.
10
Thrive honest men, come ruin on knaves, there is huzza’ing all through the city;
11
how should a city stand or fall, but by good words from the one, ill counsel from the other?
12
He mocks loud, who lacks wit; discernment holds her tongue.
13
Who bears ill tales, keeps no secrets; trust none with thy confidence but a loyal friend.
14
Ill fares the people, that guidance has none; safety reigns where counsel abounds.
15
He who goes bail for a stranger has great harm of it; that snare avoid, and sleep sound.
16
Gracious ways may win a woman renown; man never grew rich but by hardiness.✻
17
A kindly man is the friend of his own well-being; cruelty will not spare its own flesh and blood.
18
Precarious livelihood the godless man wins; wouldst thou be sure of thy revenue, let honest doings be thy crop;
19
mercy breeds life, evil ambitions death.
20
A false heart the Lord cannot endure; nothing but honest dealing will content him.
21
Depend upon it, the sinner shall never be held guiltless; the race of the just shall find acquittal.
22
A woman fair and fond, a sow ringed with gold.
23
In the desires of the just only good dwells; the hopes of the wicked only lead to ruin.
24
One spends what he has, and yet has more to spare; another sets his heart on what is none of his, and is a poor man still;
25
give and thou shalt thrive; he shall have abundance, that bestows abundantly.
26
Corn hoarded shall win thee a curse, corn sold freely a blessing, from the lips of a whole people.
27
Plan thou good, thou canst not be afoot too early; plan thou evil, on thy own head it shall recoil.
28
Fall he must, that relies on riches; never shall the just fade or fail.
29
He shall feed on air, that misrules his own household; the fool will be slave and the wise man master in the end.
30
Where right living bears its fruit, a tree of life grows up; the wise man’s reward is living souls.✻
31
Even honest men cannot go through the world unpunished; what, then, of the godless, what, then, of the sinner?
