1 'n Valse weegskaal is vir die HERE 'n gruwel, maar in 'n volle gewig het Hy behae.
2 Kom die vermetelheid, dan kom die skande, maar by die beskeidenes is wysheid.
3 Die regskapenheid van die opregtes is vir hulle 'n leier, maar die valsheid van die ontroues vernietig hulle.
4 Goed bring geen voordeel op die dag van die grimmigheid nie, maar geregtigheid red van die dood.
5 Die geregtigheid van die regskapene maak sy weg gelyk, maar die goddelose val deur sy goddeloosheid.
6 Die geregtigheid van die opregtes red hulle, maar deur hulle eie begeerlikheid word die ontroues gevang.
7 By die dood van 'n goddelose mens gaan sy hoop tot niet, en die verwagting van die roekelose het vergaan.
8 Word die regverdige uit die benoudheid gered, dan kom die goddelose in sy plek.
9 Deur die mond stort die roekelose sy naaste in die verderf, maar deur kennis word die regverdiges gered.
10 Oor die voorspoed van die regverdiges jubel 'n stad, en as die goddelose omkom, is daar gejubel.
11 Deur die seën van die opregtes kom 'n stad op, maar deur die mond van die goddelose word dit afgebreek.
12 Die verstandelose verag sy naaste, maar 'n verstandige man bly stil.
13 Die wat met kwaadsprekery omgaan, maak 'n geheim openbaar, maar hy wat betroubaar is van gees, bedek 'n saak.
14 As daar nie goeie oorleg is nie, val 'n volk; maar in die veelheid van raadgewers is redding.
15 Baie sleg word iemand behandel as hy vir 'n ander borg gestaan het; maar hy wat haat wie die handslag gee, is veilig.
16 'n Aanvallige vrou verkry eer, en die geweldenaars verkry rykdom.
17 'n Man wat 'n weldaad bewys, doen goed aan sy eie siel, maar 'n wreedaard pynig sy eie vlees.
18 Die goddelose behaal oneerlike wins, maar hy wat geregtigheid saai, 'n betroubare loon.
19 Ware geregtigheid lei tot die lewe, maar hy wat die kwaad najaag, jaag na sy dood.
20 Die wat verkeerd van hart is, is vir die HERE 'n gruwel; maar Hy het behae in die wat regskape van wandel is.
21 Sekerlik, die slegte bly nie ongestraf nie; maar die geslag van regverdiges raak vry.
22 'n Goue ring in 'n vark se snuit, so is 'n vrou wat mooi is maar sonder beleid.
23 Die begeerte van die regverdiges is net ten goede, maar die hoop van die goddelose is 'n strafgerig van toorn.
24 Daar is een wat ruim uitdeel en nog meer kry, en een wat terughou meer as wat reg is, maar tot sy gebrek.
25 Die siel wat seën, word versadig; en hy wat laaf, word self ook gelaaf.
26 Hy wat koring terughou, hom vloek die mense; maar seëning kom op die hoof van hom wat koring verkoop.
27 Wie die goeie nastreef, soek wat welgevallig is; maar hy wat die kwaad soek, oor hom sal dit kom.
28 Wie op sy rykdom vertrou, die sal val; maar die regverdiges sal soos blare uitspruit.
29 Wie sy huis in beroering bring, sal wind erwe, en 'n dwaas word 'n slaaf van hom wat wys van hart is.
30 Die vrug van die regverdige is 'n boom van die lewe, en hy wat siele win, is wys.
31 As die regverdige op aarde vergelding ontvang, hoeveel te meer die goddelose en die sondaar!
1 Scales of deceit are hated by the Lord, but a true weight is his delight.
2 When pride comes, there comes shame, but wisdom is with the quiet in spirit.
3 The righteousness of the upright will be their guide, but the twisted ways of the false will be their destruction.
4 Wealth is of no profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness keeps a man safe from death.
5 The righteousness of the good man will make his way straight, but the sin of the evil-doer will be the cause of his fall.
6 The righteousness of the upright will be their salvation, but the false will themselves be taken in their evil designs.
7 At the death of an upright man his hope does not come to an end, but the hope of the evil-doer comes to destruction.
8 The upright man is taken out of trouble, and in his place comes the sinner.
9 With his mouth the evil man sends destruction on his neighbour; but through knowledge the upright are taken out of trouble.
10 When things go well for the upright man, all the town is glad; at the death of sinners, there are cries of joy.
11 By the blessing of the upright man the town is made great, but it is overturned by the mouth of the evil-doer.
12 He who has a poor opinion of his neighbour has no sense, but a wise man keeps quiet.
13 He who goes about talking of others makes secrets public, but the true-hearted man keeps things covered.
14 When there is no helping suggestion the people will have a fall, but with a number of wise guides they will be safe.
15 He who makes himself responsible for a strange man will undergo much loss; but the hater of such undertakings will be safe.
16 A woman who is full of grace is honoured, but a woman hating righteousness is a seat of shame: those hating work will undergo loss, but the strong keep their wealth.
17 The man who has mercy will be rewarded, but the cruel man is the cause of trouble to himself.
18 The sinner gets the payment of deceit; but his reward is certain who puts in the seed of righteousness.
19 So righteousness gives life; but he who goes after evil gets death for himself.
20 The uncontrolled are hated by the Lord, but those whose ways are without error are his delight
21 Certainly the evil-doer will not go free from punishment, but the seed of the upright man will be safe.
22 Like a ring of gold in the nose of a pig, is a beautiful woman who has no sense.
23 The desire of the upright man is only for good, but wrath is waiting for the evil-doer.
24 A man may give freely, and still his wealth will be increased; and another may keep back more than is right, but only comes to be in need.
25 He who gives blessing will be made fat, but the curser will himself be cursed.
26 He who keeps back grain will be cursed by the people; but a blessing will be on the head of him who lets them have it for a price.
27 He who, with all his heart, goes after what is good is searching for grace; but he who is looking for trouble will get it.
28 He who puts his faith in wealth will come to nothing; but the upright man will be full of growth like the green leaf.
29 The troubler of his house will have the wind for his heritage, and the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.
30 The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life, but violent behaviour takes away souls.
31 If the upright man is rewarded on earth, how much more the evil-doer and the sinner!