Proverbs — Chapter 11

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1Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.

2When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the faithless destroys them.

4Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.

5The righteousness of the blameless directs their path, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the faithless are trapped by their own desires.

7When the wicked man dies, his hope perishes, and the hope of his strength vanishes.

8The righteous man is delivered from trouble; in his place the wicked man goes in.

9With his mouth the ungodly man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

10When the righteous thrive, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

11By the blessing of the upright a city is built up, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

12Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks judgment, but a man of understanding remains silent.

13A gossip reveals a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

14For lack of guidance, a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance.

15He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but the one who hates indebtedness is secure.

16A gracious woman attains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.

17A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.

18The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.

19Genuine righteousness leads to life, but the pursuit of evil brings death.

20The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their walk are His delight.

21Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.

22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

23The desire of the righteous leads only to good, but the hope of the wicked brings wrath.

24One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.

25A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

26The people will curse the hoarder of grain, but blessing will crown the one who sells it.

27He who searches out good finds favor, but evil will come to him who seeks it.

28He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.

29He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

31If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!

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

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

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

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

5The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

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

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

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

10When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

11By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

13A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

31Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

1A false balance is an abomination to Jehovah; But a just weight is his delight.

2When pride cometh, then cometh shame; But with the lowly is wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright shall guide them; But the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

4Riches profit not in the day of wrath; But righteousness delivereth from death.

5The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way; But the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them; But the treacherous shall be taken in their own iniquity.

7When a wicked man dieth, [his] expectation shall perish; And the hope of iniquity perisheth.

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

9With his mouth the godless man destroyeth his neighbor; But through knowledge shall the righteous be delivered.

10When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth; And when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

11By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted; But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12He that despiseth his neighbor is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

13He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; But he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter.

14Where no wise guidance is, the people falleth; But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

15He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it; But he that hateth suretyship is secure.

16A gracious woman obtaineth honor; And violent men obtain riches.

17The merciful man doeth good to his own soul; But he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

18The wicked earneth deceitful wages; But he that soweth righteousness [hath] a sure reward.

19He that is stedfast in righteousness [shall attain] unto life; And he that pursueth evil [doeth it] to his own death.

20They that are perverse in heart are an abomination to Jehovah; But such as are perfect in [their] way are his delight.

21[Though] hand [join] in hand, the evil man shall not be unpunished; But the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

22[As] a ring of gold in a swine`s snout, [So is] a fair woman that is without discretion.

23The desire of the righteous is only good; [But] the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

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

25The liberal soul shall be made fat; And he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

26He that withholdeth grain, the people shall curse him; But blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

27He that diligently seeketh good seeketh favor; But he that searcheth after evil, it shall come unto him.

28He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; But the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.

29He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind; And the foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that is wise winneth souls.

31Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: How much more the wicked and the sinner!

1The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but an accurate weight is his delight.

2After pride came, disgrace followed; but wisdom came with humility.

3The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

4Wealth does not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

5The righteousness of the blameless will make their way smooth, but the wicked will fall through their own wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the treacherous will be ensnared by their own desires.

7When a wicked person dies, his expectation perishes, and hope based on power has perished.

8A righteous person was delivered out of trouble, then a wicked person took his place.

9With his speech the godless person destroys his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

10When the righteous do well, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there is joy.

11A city is exalted by the blessing provided from the upright, but it is destroyed by the counsel of the wicked.

12The one who denounces his neighbor lacks sense, but a discerning person keeps silent.

13The one who goes about slandering others reveals secrets, but the one who is trustworthy conceals a matter.

14When there is no guidance a nation falls, but there is success in the abundance of counselors.

15The one who has put up security for a stranger will surely have trouble, but whoever avoids shaking hands is secure.

16A generous woman gains honor, and ruthless men seize wealth.

17A kind person benefits himself, but a cruel person brings himself trouble.

18The wicked person earns deceitful wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a genuine reward.

19True righteousness leads to life, but the one who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.

20The Lord abhors those who are perverse in heart, but those who are blameless in their ways are his delight.

21Be assured that the evil person will not be unpunished, but the descendants of the righteous have escaped harm.

22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who rejects discretion.

23The desire of the righteous is only good, but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

24One person is generous and yet grows more wealthy, but another withholds more than he should and comes to poverty.

25A generous person will be enriched, and the one who provides water for others will himself be satisfied.

26People will curse the one who withholds grain, but they will praise the one who sells it.

27The one who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but the one who searches for evil—it will come to him.

28The one who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.

29The one who troubles his family will inherit nothing, and the fool will be a servant to the wise person.

30The fruit of the righteous is like a tree producing life, and the one who wins souls is wise.

31If the righteous are recompensed on earth, how much more the wicked sinner!

1A false balance is an abomination to Yahweh, but accurate weights are his delight.

2When pride comes, then comes shame, but with humility comes wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

4Riches don’t profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

5The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way, but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them, but the unfaithful will be trapped by evil desires.

7When a wicked man dies, hope perishes, and expectation of power comes to nothing.

8A righteous person is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked takes his place.

9With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but the righteous will be delivered through knowledge.

10When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. When the wicked perish, there is shouting.

11By the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12One who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding holds his peace.

13One who brings gossip betrays a confidence, but one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who keeps a secret.

14Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory.

15He who is collateral for a stranger will suffer for it, but he who refuses pledges of collateral is secure.

16A gracious woman obtains honor, but violent men obtain riches.

17The merciful man does good to his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

18Wicked people earn deceitful wages, but one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

19He who is truly righteous gets life. He who pursues evil gets death.

20Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to Yahweh, but those whose ways are blameless are his delight.

21Most certainly, the evil man will not be unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.

22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout, is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

23The desire of the righteous is only good. The expectation of the wicked is wrath.

24There is one who scatters, and increases yet more. There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.

25The liberal soul shall be made fat. He who waters shall be watered also himself.

26People curse someone who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

27He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but he who searches after evil, it shall come to him.

28He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.

29He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind. The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. He who is wise wins souls.

31Behold, the righteous shall be repaid in the earth; how much more the wicked and the sinner!

Summary
Authorship & Background
Commentary
Videos
Articles
Reflection

Summary

Solomon opens with God's demand for honest business dealings, calling dishonest scales detestable and just weights delightful to him (v. 1). Pride precedes disgrace while humility carries wisdom, and personal integrity guides the upright while the wicked are ultimately destroyed by their own wrongdoing (vv. 2-6). A city thrives when the righteous prosper, gossip destroys neighbors, and trustworthy people keep confidences while many advisors bring safety (vv. 9-14). Generosity is repeatedly praised: the one who gives freely still grows richer, while the stingy person heads toward poverty, and whoever refreshes others will be refreshed in return (vv. 24-25). The chapter closes by warning that trusting in riches leads to a fall, while the righteous flourish like a green branch, and whoever wins souls is called wise (vv. 28, 30).

Authorship & Background

Author: Primarily Solomon (1:1, 10:1, 25:1), with sections by Agur (ch.30) and King Lemuel (ch.31). Compiled over several centuries. Proverbs is wisdom literature — practical instruction for godly living. Hebrew title: 'Mishlei' — 'Proverbs/Comparisons.'
Historical Context: Chapter 11 continues the first Solomonic collection of antithetical proverbs (10:1-22:16). The dominant themes are integrity vs. deception in business (vv.1, 3, 5-6), the impact of the righteous and wicked on community (vv.10-11), the power of speech (vv.9, 12-13), the paradox of generosity (vv.24-26), and the ultimate worthlessness of riches without righteousness (vv.4, 28). The chapter is remarkable for its communal vision — individual righteousness or wickedness affects the whole city (vv.10-11). Virtue is never merely private.
Themes in This Chapter: Integrity and Honesty in Business (vv.1, 3, 18); The Community Impact of Righteousness (vv.10-11, 26); The Paradox of Generosity (vv.24-26); Riches vs. Righteousness (vv.4, 28); The Power of Speech (vv.9, 12-13)
Classification: Wisdom Literature
Key Themes: commerce opened with a specific business practice named outright, a false balance is abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight, a civic claim unusual for the collection, by the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, treating private virtue as having public effect, in the multitude of counsellors there is safety standing beside a warning against becoming surety for a stranger, the paradox the chapter is remembered for, there is that scattereth, and yet increaseth, and a closing image of the righteous as a tree of life, ending on the man who winneth souls being called wise
Weights, Pride and Integrity (vv.1-11): The chapter opens with commerce, a false balance is abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight, which is one of the few proverbs that names a specific business practice. Then pride and shame, and a run on what riches cannot do, riches profit not in the day of wrath. The block closes on a civic note that is unusual in the collection, by the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, so a private virtue is described as having a public effect.
Counsel, Surety and the Company Kept (vv.12-21): A cluster on discretion and advice. He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour, but a man of understanding holdeth his peace. A talebearer revealeth secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. Then the verse that has shaped centuries of committee practice, in the multitude of counsellors there is safety, and beside it a warning against standing surety for a stranger. The block includes the merciful man doing good to his own soul and the cruel man troubling his own flesh, which is the collection's habitual argument that conduct rebounds on the actor.
Generosity, Greed and the Fruit of the Righteous (vv.22-31): The most memorable image in the chapter opens the block, as a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion. Then the paradox the chapter is remembered for, there is that scattereth, and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, and it tendeth to poverty, followed by the liberal soul that shall be made fat and he that watereth being watered himself. The block closes on the fruit of the righteous as a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes v.24's paradox: "The one who gives freely gains more than the one who hoards." He notes this operates on multiple levels — financial, relational, spiritual. On v.22, he observes that the pig doesn't appreciate the gold, and beauty doesn't appreciate (or benefit from) the absence of discretion. The proverb is about wasted potential and absurd combinations.
  • Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
  • Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.

Videos

Proverbs 10-12 | How to Read the Book of Proverbs | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

Proverbs 11 Explained - God's Wisdom for Justice, Integrity, and Blessing
David Guzik

Articles

  • GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Proverbs -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.

Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.

Reflection

  • Honest Business Practices Matter to God (v.1) — a false balance is called an abomination to the LORD, while accurate weights are His delight. Where in your work or financial dealings might you be cutting a corner that you'd call dishonest if someone did it to you?
  • Your Character Affects Your Whole Community (vv.10-11) — a city rejoices when the righteous prosper and is built up by the blessing of the upright. Do you see your own integrity or compromise as something that only affects you, or as something that ripples out to the people around you?
  • Guard What Others Trust You With (v.13) — a gossip reveals secrets, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence. Are you someone people can safely tell things to, or does information leak out of you?
  • Character Outlasts Appearance (v.22) — a beautiful woman without discretion is compared to a gold ring in a pig's snout, jarring and wasted. Are you investing more in how you look than in the kind of character that actually endures?
  • Generosity Leads to Increase, Not Loss (vv.24-25) — one person gives freely and grows richer, while another withholds and ends up poorer. Where is fear of scarcity keeping you from the generosity God actually rewards?