Proverbs Chapter 11
Showing all 31 verses for Proverbs Chapter 11.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. "
"Rigging the scales to cheat someone is offensive to God, but using accurate, honest weights makes him glad."
I notice the small, unseen moments most - the discount you didn't earn, the change you didn't return. Love your neighbour by dealing fairly with them even when nobody's checking, because that's where trust is really built.
"When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. "
"Pride leads to disgrace, but staying humble is where wisdom is found."
The humble are the ones who keep growing, because they can still see their own mistakes. Walk humbly and the world opens up to you instead of catching you out.
"The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. "
"Honest people are guided safely by their own integrity, but dishonest people are destroyed by their own crookedness."
Live truthfully and you won't need to watch your back or keep track of your lies. Deceit always becomes its own trap in the end.
"Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. "
"Money won't do you any good on the day disaster strikes, but living rightly can save your life."
Don't stake your sense of security on your bank balance. Build a life of honesty and love instead - that's what actually holds up when everything else fails.
"The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. "
"The godly integrity of blameless people keeps their path straight, but wicked people are brought down by their own wrongdoing."
What you sow today shapes the road you'll walk tomorrow. Choose integrity, and let your own honest life do the guiding.
"The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness. "
"Good people's integrity rescues them, but treacherous people get trapped by their own greedy desires."
Don't let your cravings run your life - they'll box you in eventually. Live with integrity and you stay free.
"When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth. "
"When a wicked person dies, everything they were counting on dies with them; whatever hope unjust people had comes to nothing."
Don't anchor your hope in things that vanish the moment you're gone. Build a legacy of love and honesty instead - that's what actually lasts.
"The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead. "
"The righteous person gets pulled out of trouble, while the wicked person ends up in it instead."
Live rightly not to dodge every hardship life throws at you, but because honesty naturally keeps you away from the traps that wrongdoing walks straight into.
"An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. "
"A two-faced person's words destroy their neighbour, but being informed and wise rescues good people."
Speak plainly and don't wear a mask with people. And stay sharp, so that other people's games and pretences can't trap you.
"When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting. "
"When good people prosper, the whole city celebrates; when the wicked fall, people cheer."
Your integrity ripples out further than you think and blesses the people around you. Live well not only for yourself but for everyone your life touches.
"By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. "
"A city rises because of good people's blessing on it, but is torn down by the words of the wicked."
What you say and how you live builds up or tears down the people around you. Choose, deliberately, to be a builder rather than a wrecker.
"He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace. "
"Someone lacking sense looks down on their neighbour, but a sensible person keeps quiet."
Hold your tongue before you judge someone. Real wisdom is patient and doesn't need to belittle anyone to feel secure.
"A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. "
"A gossip spills secrets, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence."
Be the friend people can trust with what matters to them. Guarding someone's secret, even when it's tempting to share it, is a quiet act of love.
"Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. "
"Without good guidance a nation falls apart, but with many wise advisers, there's safety."
Don't go it alone when big decisions loom. Surround yourself with people who'll tell you the truth, not just what you want to hear.
"He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretyship is sure. "
"Whoever guarantees a stranger's debt will suffer for it, but whoever refuses to co-sign for someone they don't know is safe."
Be generous, but be wise with money. Love doesn't mean signing away your own security for someone you barely know - real care can find better ways to help.
"A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches. "
"A woman with grace and good character earns lasting honour, while ruthless, strong men merely hold on to wealth."
Chase character, not just power or possessions. Kindness earns you something that money and force can never buy - real, lasting respect.
"The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. "
"A kind person does good to himself, but a cruel person brings trouble on himself."
When you're kind, you're not just helping someone else - you're healing yourself too. Cruelty always comes back to hurt the person dealing it out.
"The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. "
"The wicked earn wages that don't last, but whoever plants righteousness gets a reward that's certain."
What you invest your life in matters. Sow kindness and honesty and you'll reap something that actually lasts, unlike quick, dishonest wins.
"As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. "
"Righteousness leads to life, but chasing after evil leads straight to death."
The path you walk daily is taking you somewhere specific. Choose the road that leads to real life, not the one that only looks exciting from where you're standing.
"They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight. "
"God is disgusted by twisted, dishonest hearts, but delighted by people who live with integrity."
I care less about looking good and more about your heart being honest. Let your inner life genuinely match your outer life.
"Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. "
"You can be sure of this: wicked people will not go unpunished, but the children of the righteous will be kept safe."
Don't think that teaming up with wrong makes it any safer. Live rightly instead, and you're planting safety for the people who come after you.
"As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion. "
"A beautiful woman with no sense is like a gold ring stuck in a pig's snout."
Don't build your sense of worth on appearance alone, and don't be dazzled by someone else's just because it's the first thing you see. Character is what actually makes a person shine.
"The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. "
"What the righteous want turns out good, but what the wicked expect ends in disaster."
Examine what you're actually hoping for underneath the surface. Desires rooted in love and honesty tend to lead somewhere good; ones rooted in greed or harm rarely do.
"There is that scaftereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. "
"One person gives freely and ends up richer for it; another holds back more than they should and ends up poorer."
Don't clutch your resources so tight that you end up choking your own life. Give generously and watch how it has a way of coming back to you.
"The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. "
"A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed themselves."
Pour yourself out for others and you'll find yourself filled up too. Generosity isn't a loss - it's an exchange that comes back around.
"He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. "
"People curse the one who hoards grain during a shortage, but bless the one who sells it to those who need it."
Don't profit off other people's desperation. Sharing what you have when someone is genuinely in need is love put into action.
"He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. "
"Whoever chases after good things finds favour, but whoever looks for trouble will find it."
Point your energy towards good and it will find you in return. Go looking for trouble, and don't be surprised when it finds you first.
"He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. "
"Whoever relies on their wealth will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green, growing branch."
Don't build your identity or your security on your bank balance. Root your life in something that keeps growing even when the money doesn't.
"He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. "
"Whoever brings trouble on their own household ends up with nothing but wind, and the fool ends up serving the wise."
How you treat your own household matters more than you might think. Care for the people closest to you well, because chaos at home always comes back around.
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. "
"The righteous produce fruit that gives life, and whoever wins people over to what's good is wise."
Let your life be something that feeds and encourages the people around you. The wisest thing you can do isn't just live well yourself, but help someone else find a better way too.
"Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner. "
"If even the righteous get what's coming to them here on earth, how much more will the wicked and the sinner."
No one is exempt from consequences, not even people trying hard to do right - and that should make you humble rather than superior. It should also reassure you that real wrongdoing doesn't go unanswered forever.