Proverbs 11

1The LORD hates people who do not measure weights honestly. He is happy when they measure things honestly.

2Some people think that they are great. But they will really be ashamed. But people who do not think like that speak wise words.

3Good people are honest. So they will always know what is the right thing to do. Bad people say things that are not true. That will destroy them.

4Much money will not help you on the day of your death. But if you are a good person you can save your life.

5An honest man walks a straight path. But the bad things that a bad man does will destroy him.

6The good things that good men do will keep them safe. But the bad plans of cruel men will cause trouble for them.

7A bad man dies. And then what he wants dies with him. All that he wanted from his power becomes nothing.

8Trouble does not destroy a good man, but it happens to the bad man instead.

9People without God can destroy you by the way that they talk. But wise words keep good people safe.

10When good men do well, people in the city will be happy. Also, people will be happy when bad men die. The people will shout because they are happy.

11A city becomes great when good men want it to be happy. But the words of bad men destroy it.

12A silly man thinks that the people near to him are not important. But a man who is wise will not speak.

13If a man talks too much, he tells people secrets. You can tell your secret to a man who is wise. He will keep it secret.

14The people in a country will fall if it has no wise men to lead it. But the words of many wise men make the country safe.

15If you promise to pay the debt of a stranger, you will be sorry. If you do not promise things like that, you will be safe.

16People think that a beautiful woman is great. But strong men only get money.

17A kind man causes good things to happen to himself. A cruel man causes trouble for himself.

18The money that bad men get because of their work will not do any good thing on their behalf. But the man who does the right things will receive good things.

19The man who decides to do right things will live. But anyone who does wrong things will die.

20The LORD hates people who make plans to do bad things. But he loves those people who always do the right thing.

21Be sure about this: The LORD will punish bad people but he will save the children of good people.

22A beautiful woman may refuse to know what is good. A woman like that is like a gold ring in a pig’s nose.

23What good people want always causes good things to happen. Bad people may get what they want. But then God will punish them.

24One man gives away his money and he gets even more. Another man refuses to pay his servants for what they have done. And he becomes poor.

25If you give away your money, you will receive more. If you help other people, they will help you.

26A man may want to keep the seeds that people can eat from the plants in his field. People will speak bad words against him if he is waiting to get more money. But they will say good things if he sells those seeds to them.

27The man who looks for good things will be very happy. But the man who looks for trouble will get trouble.

28A man may think that his money will save him. But he will fall like the leaves in autumn. But the good man will not fall. His valuable things will be like the green leaves in summer.

29The man who causes trouble for his family will have nothing in the end. And the fool will always be the servant of the wise man.

30The man who decides to do good things lives a really good life. The man who wins souls is wise.

31Men who are good receive many good things. You can be sure that bad men will receive punishment.