A False Balance is an Abomination

1Balances of deceit [are] an abomination to Jehovah, And a perfect weight [is] His delight.

2Pride hath come, and shame cometh, And with the lowly [is] wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright leadeth them, And the perverseness of the treacherous destroyeth them.

4Wealth profiteth not in a day of wrath, And righteousness delivereth from death.

5The righteousness of the perfect maketh right his way, And by his wickedness doth the wicked fall.

6The righteousness of the upright delivereth them, And in mischief the treacherous are captured.

7In the death of a wicked man, hope perisheth, And the expectation of the iniquitous hath been lost.

8The righteous from distress is drawn out, And the wicked goeth in instead of him.

9With the mouth a hypocrite corrupteth his friend, And by knowledge the righteous are drawn out.

10In the good of the righteous a city exulteth, And in the destruction of the wicked [is] singing.

11By the blessing of the upright is a city exalted, And by the mouth of the wicked thrown down.

12Whoso is despising his neighbour lacketh heart, And a man of understanding keepeth silence.

13A busybody is revealing secret counsel, And the faithful of spirit is covering the matter.

14Without counsels do a people fall, And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counsellors.

15Evil [one] suffereth when he hath been surety [for] a stranger, And whoso is hating suretyship is confident.

16A gracious woman retaineth honour, And terrible [men] retain riches.

17A kind man is rewarding his own soul, And the fierce is troubling his own flesh.

18The wicked is getting a lying wage, And whoso is sowing righteousness — a true reward.

19Rightly [is] righteousness for life, And whoso is pursuing evil — for his own death.

20An abomination to Jehovah [are] the perverse of heart, And the perfect of the way [are] His delight.

21Hand to hand, the wicked is not acquitted, And the seed of the righteous hath escaped.

22A ring of gold in the nose of a sow — A fair woman and stubborn of behaviour.

23The desire of the righteous [is] only good, The hope of the wicked [is] transgression.

24There is who is scattering, and yet is increased, And who is keeping back from uprightness, only to want.

25A liberal soul is made fat, And whoso is watering, he also is watered.

26Whoso is withholding corn, the people execrate him, And a blessing [is] for the head of him who is selling.

27Whoso is earnestly seeking good Seeketh a pleasing thing, And whoso is seeking evil — it meeteth him.

28Whoso is confident in his wealth he falleth, And as a leaf, the righteous flourish.

29Whoso is troubling his own house inheriteth wind, And a servant [is] the fool to the wise of heart.

30The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life, And whoso is taking souls [is] wise.

31Lo, the righteous in the earth is recompensed, Surely also the wicked and the sinner!