Becker Bible Teacher Resources

Proverbs 11:1-31

The wise and the foolish contrasted

1 ¶ A false balance [is] abomination to the LORD: but a just weight [is] his delight.

 2 ¶ [When] pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly [is] wisdom.

 3 ¶ The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

 4 ¶ Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

 5 ¶ The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in [their own] naughtiness.

 7 ¶ When a wicked man dieth, [his] expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust [men] perisheth.

 8 ¶ The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

 9 ¶ An hypocrite with [his] mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

 10 ¶ When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, [there is] shouting. 11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

 12 ¶ He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace. 13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

 14 ¶ Where no counsel [is], the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors [there is] safety.

 15 ¶ He that is surety for a stranger shall smart [for it]: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

 16 ¶ A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong [men] retain riches.

 17 ¶ The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but [he that is] cruel troubleth his own flesh.

 18 ¶ The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness [shall be] a sure reward.

 19 ¶ As righteousness [tendeth] to life: so he that pursueth evil [pursueth it] to his own death.

 20 ¶ They that are of a froward heart [are] abomination to the LORD: but [such as are] upright in [their] way [are] his delight.

 21 ¶ [Though] hand [join] in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

 22 ¶ [As] a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, [so is] a fair woman which is without discretion.

 23 ¶ The desire of the righteous [is] only good: [but] the expectation of the wicked [is] wrath.

 24 ¶ There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and [there is] that withholdeth more than is meet, but [it tendeth] to poverty.

 25 ¶ The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

 26 ¶ He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing [shall be] upon the head of him that selleth [it].

 27 ¶ He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

 28 ¶ He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

 29 ¶ He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool [shall be] servant to the wise of heart.

 30 ¶ The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life; and he that winneth souls [is] wise. 31 ¶ Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

1      מֹאזְנֵ֣י מִ֭רְמָה תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וְאֶ֖בֶן שְׁלֵמָ֣ה רְצוֹנֹֽו׃
2      בָּֽא־זָ֭דוֹן וַיָּבֹ֣א קָל֑וֹן וְֽאֶת־צְנוּעִ֥ים חָכְמָֽה׃
3      תֻּמַּ֣ת יְשָׁרִ֣ים תַּנְחֵ֑ם וְסֶ֖לֶף בּוֹגְדִ֣ים וְשָׁדָּם׃
4      לֹא־יוֹעִ֣יל ה֭וֹן בְּי֣וֹם עֶבְרָ֑ה וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה תַּצִּ֥יל מִמָּֽוֶת׃
5      צִדְקַ֣ת תָּ֭מִים תְּיַשֵּׁ֣ר דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וּ֝בְרִשְׁעָת֗וֹ יִפֹּ֥ל רָשָֽׁע׃
6      צִדְקַ֣ת יְ֭שָׁרִים תַּצִּילֵ֑ם וּ֝בְהַוַּ֗ת בֹּגְדִ֥ים יִלָּכֵֽדוּ׃
7      בְּמ֤וֹת אָדָ֣ם רָ֭שָׁע תֹּאבַ֣ד תִּקְוָ֑ה וְתוֹחֶ֖לֶת אוֹנִ֣ים אָבָֽדָה׃
8      צַ֭דִּיק מִצָּרָ֣ה נֶחֱלָ֑ץ וַיָּבֹ֖א רָשָׁ֣ע תַּחְתָּֽיו׃
9      בְּפֶ֗ה חָ֭נֵף יַשְׁחִ֣ת רֵעֵ֑הוּ וּ֝בְדַ֗עַת צַדִּיקִ֥ים יֵחָלֵֽצוּ׃
10      בְּט֣וּב צַ֭דִּיקִים תַּעֲלֹ֣ץ קִרְיָ֑ה וּבַאֲבֹ֖ד רְשָׁעִ֣ים רִנָּֽה׃
11      בְּבִרְכַּ֣ת יְ֭שָׁרִים תָּר֣וּם קָ֑רֶת וּבְפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים תֵּהָרֵֽס׃
12      בָּז־לְרֵעֵ֥הוּ חֲסַר־לֵ֑ב וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנ֣וֹת יַחֲרִֽישׁ׃
13      הוֹלֵ֣ךְ רָ֭כִיל מְגַלֶּה־סּ֑וֹד וְנֶאֱמַן־ר֝֗וּחַ מְכַסֶּ֥ה דָבָֽר׃
14      בְּאֵ֣ין תַּ֭חְבֻּלוֹת יִפָּל־עָ֑ם וּ֝תְשׁוּעָ֗ה בְּרֹ֣ב יוֹעֵֽץ׃
15      רַע־יֵ֭רוֹעַ כִּי־עָ֣רַב זָ֑ר וְשֹׂנֵ֖א תֹקְעִ֣ים בּוֹטֵֽחַ׃
16      אֵֽשֶׁת־חֵ֭ן תִּתְמֹ֣ךְ כָּב֑וֹד וְ֝עָרִיצִ֗ים יִתְמְכוּ־עֹֽשֶׁר׃
17      גֹּמֵ֣ל נַ֭פְשׁוֹ אִ֣ישׁ חָ֑סֶד וְעֹכֵ֥ר שְׁ֝אֵר֗וֹ אַכְזָרִֽי׃
18      רָשָׁ֗ע עֹשֶׂ֥ה פְעֻלַּת־שָׁ֑קֶר וְזֹרֵ֥עַ צְ֝דָקָ֗ה שֶׂ֣כֶר אֱמֶֽת׃
19      כֵּן־צְדָקָ֥ה לְחַיִּ֑ים וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף רָעָ֣ה לְמוֹתֹֽו׃
20      תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה עִקְּשֵׁי־לֵ֑ב וּ֝רְצוֹנ֗וֹ תְּמִ֣ימֵי דָֽרֶךְ׃
21      יָ֣ד לְ֭יָד לֹא־יִנָּ֣קֶה רָּ֑ע וְזֶ֖רַע צַדִּיקִ֣ים נִמְלָֽט׃
22      נֶ֣זֶם זָ֭הָב בְּאַ֣ף חֲזִ֑יר אִשָּׁ֥ה יָ֝פָ֗ה וְסָ֣רַת טָֽעַם׃
23      תַּאֲוַ֣ת צַדִּיקִ֣ים אַךְ־ט֑וֹב תִּקְוַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים עֶבְרָֽה׃
24      יֵ֣שׁ מְ֭פַזֵּר וְנוֹסָ֥ף ע֑וֹד וְחוֹשֵׂ֥ךְ מִ֝יֹּ֗שֶׁר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃
25      נֶֽפֶשׁ־בְּרָכָ֥ה תְדֻשָּׁ֑ן וּ֝מַרְוֶ֗ה גַּם־ה֥וּא יוֹרֶֽא׃
26      מֹ֣נֵֽעַ בָּ֭ר יִקְּבֻ֣הוּ לְא֑וֹם וּ֝בְרָכָ֗ה לְרֹ֣אשׁ מַשְׁבִּֽיר׃
27      שֹׁ֣חֵֽר ט֭וֹב יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ רָצ֑וֹן וְדֹרֵ֖שׁ רָעָ֣ה תְבוֹאֶֽנּוּ׃
28      בּוֹטֵ֣חַ בְּ֭עָשְׁרוֹ ה֣וּא יִפֹּ֑ל וְ֝כֶעָלֶ֗ה צַדִּיקִ֥ים יִפְרָֽחוּ׃
29      עוֹכֵ֣ר בֵּ֭יתוֹ יִנְחַל־ר֑וּחַ וְעֶ֥בֶד אֱ֝וִ֗יל לַחֲכַם־לֵֽב׃
30      פְּֽרִי־צַ֭דִּיק עֵ֣ץ חַיִּ֑ים וְלֹקֵ֖חַ נְפָשׂ֣וֹת חָכָֽם׃
31      הֵ֣ן צַ֭דִּיק בָּאָ֣רֶץ יְשֻׁלָּ֑ם אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־רָשָׁ֥ע וְחוֹטֵֽא׃

The Lexham Hebrew Bible (Logos Bible Software, 2012), Pr 11:1–31.