Proverbs 11
1 Yahweh detests [people who use] scales that do not weigh correctly; he is delighted with [those who use] correct weights on the scales.
The Lord hates dishonest scales, but accurate weights please him.
2 [People who are] proud will [eventually] be disgraced; it is wise to be humble.
With pride comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
3 [People who are] good are guided by [doing what is] honest; those who are not honest will be ruined because of the wrong things that they do.
Honesty guides the good, but deceit destroys liars.
4 [Your] money will not help [you] on the day that [God] judges [and punishes people]; but if you live righteously, you will live a long time.
Wealth won't help you on judgment day, but goodness saves you from death.
5 When people are honest and good, that will (direct their paths/show them what is right for them to do); but wicked [people will] experience disasters because of the evil things that they do.
The goodness of the innocent keeps them on track, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
6 [God] rescues/protects righteous [people] because they (are honest/do what is right), but those who (are treacherous/cannot be trusted) will be trapped because of their being greedy.
The goodness of those who live right will save them, but the dishonest are trapped by their own desires.
7 When wicked [people] die, they cannot confidently expect to receive anything [that is good]; they expect that [their money] will help/save them, but it will not.
When a wicked person dies, their hopes die with them; what the godless look forward to is gone.
8 [Yahweh] rescues righteous [people] from their troubles/difficulties; instead, it is the wicked who will have troubles.
The good are saved from trouble, while the wicked get into trouble.
9 Godless people can ruin others by what they say [MTY], but righteous [people will] be saved by [their (own] good sense/being wise).
Godless people mouth off and destroy their neighbors, but the good are saved by wisdom.
10 When things go well for righteous [people], [the people in] [MTY] their city are happy, and they shout joyfully when wicked [people] die.
The whole town celebrates when good people are successful; they also shout for joy when the wicked die.
11 When righteous [people request God to] bless a city, that city will become great, but cities are ruined by what wicked [people] say [MTY].
Ethical people are a blessing to a town, but what the wicked say destroys it.
12 It is foolish to despise others; those who (have good sense/are wise) do not say anything [to criticize others].
People who run down their neighbors have no sense; someone who's sensible keeps quiet.
13 Those who (spread gossip/tell bad things about others) will tell your secrets [to others], but if there is someone whom you can trust, you can trust him to not tell your secrets [to others].
A gossip goes around telling secrets, but trustworthy people keep confidences.
14 A nation will be destroyed/ruined if it does not have [leaders] who guide it [wisely]; but if there are many [good] advisors, the nation remains secure.
A nation falls without good guidance, but they are saved through much wise counsel.
15 If you promise a stranger that you will pay his debt [if he cannot pay it himself], you will regret it. You will be safe if you refuse to guarantee that you will pay someone else’s debts.
You'll get into trouble if you guarantee a stranger's loans—you're far safer if you refuse to make such pledges.
16 [People] honor/respect women who are kind/gracious; ruthless/violent people may get a lot of money, [but that is all that they will get].
A gracious woman holds on to her honor just as ruthless men hold on to their wealth.
17 Those who are kind benefit themselves [because others will be kind to them], but those who are cruel will hurt themselves [because others will be cruel to them].
If you're kind, you'll be rewarded; but if you're cruel, you'll hurt yourself.
18 If wicked people earn a lot of money, that will deceive them [because they will not keep it for very long], but those who do what is right will surely be rewarded [by God forever].
The wicked earn wages that cheat them, but those who sow goodness reap a genuine reward.
19 Those who always do what is right will live [a long/happy life], but those who insist on doing what is wrong will not live [very long].
Do what's right, and you will live; chase after evil and you will die.
20 Yahweh hates those who are always thinking about doing evil things, but he is delighted with those who always do what is right.
The Lord hates perverted minds, but is happy with those who live moral lives.
21 It is certain that [Yahweh] will punish evil people and that righteous people will escape [from being punished].
You can be certain of this: the wicked won't go unpunished, but the good will be saved.
22 [It is] ([unsuitable/not proper/disgusting]) for a beautiful woman not to know what is right to do, like [SIM] [it is unsuitable/disgusting] for a pig to have a gold ring in its snout/nose.
A beautiful woman who lacks good judgment is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.
23 When the things that righteous people want happen, it brings good [to them and to others], but when the wicked get what they want, it causes everyone else to become angry.
Good people want what's best, but what the wicked hope for ends in death.
24 Some people give [their money] generously [to poor people], but they become richer [in spite of that], and some people hold tightly to their money, but they still become poor [in spite of that].
If you give generously you receive more, but if you keep back what you should give, you end up poor.
25 Those who give generously [to others] will prosper; if you help others, [they/someone] will help you, too.
If you're generous, you'll become rich; give someone a drink of water, and you'll be given one in return.
26 People curse/despise someone who hoards his grain [and does not sell it], waiting to get a higher/bigger price for it, but they praise someone who sells it [when people need it, even when the price is not high].
People curse those who hoard grain; but they bless those who sell.
27 If you sincerely want to [do what is] right, [people] will respect you, but if you are wanting to cause trouble, trouble is what you will get.
If you look to do good, you'll be appreciated; but if you look for evil, you'll find it!
28 Those who trust in their money will [disappear like the] withered [leaves that fall from the trees], but righteous [people] will keep going strong, like green leaves [in the summer].
If you trust in your riches, you'll fall; but if you do good, you'll flourish like green leaves.
29 Those who bring troubles to their families will inherit nothing [MET] [from them], and those who do foolish things [like that] will [some day] become the servants of wise [people].
If you cause trouble in your family, you'll inherit nothing but air. Stupid people end up as servants to those who think wisely.
30 Those who live righteously will live [for a long time], but [those who act] violently will destroy [their own] lives (OR, those who are wise will have many people come and live with them).
The fruit of the good is a tree of life, and the wise person saves people.
31 [Sometimes] righteous [people] are rewarded [here] on the earth, but it is much more certain that very wicked people [DOU] [will be rewarded by being punished].
If the good are repaid here on earth, how much more will the wicked who sin be repaid!
