Proverbs 11:9-24

Proverbs 11:9-24 The Message (MSG)

The loose tongue of the godless spreads destruction; the common sense of the godly preserves them. When it goes well for good people, the whole town cheers; when it goes badly for bad people, the town celebrates. When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time. Mean-spirited slander is heartless; quiet discretion accompanies good sense. A gadabout gossip can’t be trusted with a secret, but someone of integrity won’t violate a confidence. Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances. Whoever makes deals with strangers is sure to get burned; if you keep a cool head, you’ll avoid rash bargains. A woman of gentle grace gets respect, but men of rough violence grab for loot. When you’re kind to others, you help yourself; when you’re cruel to others, you hurt yourself. Bad work gets paid with a bad check; good work gets solid pay. Take your stand with God’s loyal community and live, or chase after phantoms of evil and die. GOD can’t stand deceivers, but oh how he relishes integrity. Count on this: The wicked won’t get off scot-free, and God’s loyal people will triumph. Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful face on an empty head. The desires of good people lead straight to the best, but wicked ambition ends in angry frustration. The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

Proverbs 11:9-24 King James Version (KJV)

An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: But through knowledge shall the just be delivered. When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: And when the wicked perish, there is shouting. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. 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. Where no counsel is, the people fall: But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: And he that hateth suretiship is sure. A gracious woman retaineth honour: And strong men retain riches. The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: But he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. The wicked worketh a deceitful work: But to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. As righteousness tendeth to life: So he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: But such as are upright in their way are his delight. Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: But the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, So is a fair woman which is without discretion. The desire of the righteous is only good: But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; And there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Proverbs 11:9-24 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down. He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent. He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter. Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory. He who is guarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it, But he who hates being a guarantor is secure. A gracious woman attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches. The merciful man does himself good, But the cruel man does himself harm. The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward. He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death. The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless in their walk are His delight. Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered. As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want.

Proverbs 11:9-24 New Century Version (NCV)

With words an evil person can destroy a neighbor, but a good person will escape by being resourceful. When good people succeed, the city is happy. When evil people die, there are shouts of joy. Good people bless and build up their city, but the wicked can destroy it with their words. People without good sense find fault with their neighbors, but those with understanding keep quiet. Gossips can’t keep secrets, but a trustworthy person can. Without leadership a nation falls, but lots of good advice will save it. Whoever guarantees to pay somebody else’s loan will suffer. It is safer to avoid such promises. A kind woman gets respect, but cruel men get only wealth. Kind people do themselves a favor, but cruel people bring trouble on themselves. An evil person really earns nothing, but a good person will surely be rewarded. Those who are truly good will live, but those who chase after evil will die. The LORD hates those with evil hearts but is pleased with those who are innocent. Evil people will certainly be punished, but those who do right will be set free. A beautiful woman without good sense is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout. Those who do right only wish for good, but the wicked can expect to be defeated by God’s anger. Some people give much but get back even more. Others don’t give what they should and end up poor.

Proverbs 11:9-24 American Standard Version (ASV)

With his mouth the godless man destroyeth his neighbor; But through knowledge shall the righteous be delivered. When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth; And when the wicked perish, there is shouting. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted; But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. He that despiseth his neighbor is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding holdeth his peace. He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; But he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter. Where no wise guidance is, the people falleth; But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it; But he that hateth suretyship is secure. A gracious woman obtaineth honor; And violent men obtain riches. The merciful man doeth good to his own soul; But he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. The wicked earneth deceitful wages; But he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward. He that is stedfast in righteousness shall attain unto life; And he that pursueth evil doeth it to his own death. They that are perverse in heart are an abomination to Jehovah; But such as are perfect in their way are his delight. Though hand join in hand, the evil man shall not be unpunished; But the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, So is a fair woman that is without discretion. The desire of the righteous is only good; But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. There is that scattereth, and increaseth yet more; And there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth only to want.

Proverbs 11:9-24 New International Version (NIV)

With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape. When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed. Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers. Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe. A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth. Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves. A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death. The LORD detests those whose hearts are perverse, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless. Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free. Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion. The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath. One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

Proverbs 11:9-24 New King James Version (NKJV)

The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of understanding holds his peace. A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, But one who hates being surety is secure. A gracious woman retains honor, But ruthless men retain riches. The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh. The wicked man does deceptive work, But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward. As righteousness leads to life, So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death. Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless in their ways are His delight. Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered. As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion. The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.

Proverbs 11:9-24 Amplified Bible (AMP)

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge and discernment the righteous will be rescued. When it goes well for the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. By the blessing [of the influence] of the upright the city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down. He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent. He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy and faithful keeps a matter hidden. Where there is no [wise, intelligent] guidance, the people fall [and go off course like a ship without a helm], But in the abundance of [wise and godly] counselors there is victory. He who puts up security and guarantees a debt for an outsider will surely suffer [for his foolishness], But he who hates (declines) being a guarantor is secure [from its penalties]. A gracious and good woman attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches [but not respect]. The merciful and generous man benefits his soul [for his behavior returns to bless him], But the cruel and callous man does himself harm. The wicked man earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness and lives his life with integrity will have a true reward [that is both permanent and satisfying]. [Hos 10:12; Gal 6:8, 9; James 3:18] He who is steadfast in righteousness attains life, But he who pursues evil attains his own death. The perverse in heart are repulsive and shamefully vile to the LORD, But those who are blameless and above reproach in their walk are His delight! Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be freed. As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, So is a beautiful woman who is without discretion [her lack of character mocks her beauty]. The desire of the righteous brings only good, But the expectation of the wicked brings wrath. There is the one who [generously] scatters [abroad], and yet increases all the more; And there is the one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want and poverty.

Proverbs 11:9-24 New Living Translation (NLT)

With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous. The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die. Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart. It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet. A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers. There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt; it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt. A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you. Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last. Godly people find life; evil people find death. The LORD detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity. Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free. A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout. The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment. Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.

Proverbs 11:9-24 The Passion Translation (TPT)

The teachings of hypocrites can destroy you, but revelation-knowledge will rescue the righteous. The blessing that rests on the righteous releases strength and favor to the entire city, but shouts of joy will be heard when the wicked one dies. The blessing of favor resting upon the righteous influences a city to lift it higher, but wicked leaders tear it apart by their words. To quarrel with a neighbor is senseless. Bite your tongue; be wise and keep quiet! You can’t trust gossipers with a secret; they’ll just go blab it all. Put your confidence instead in a trusted friend, for he will be faithful to keep it in confidence. People lose their way without wise leadership, but a nation succeeds and stands in victory when it has many good counselors to guide it. The evil man will do harm when confronted by a righteous man, because he hates those who await good news. A gracious, generous woman will be honored with a splendid reputation, but the woman who hates the truth lives with disgrace and is surrounded by men who are cutthroats, only greedy for money. A man of kindness attracts favor, while a cruel man attracts nothing but trouble. Evil people may get a short-term gain, but to sow seeds of righteousness will bring a true and lasting reward. A son of righteousness experiences the abundant life, but the one who pursues evil hurries to his own death. The Lord can’t stand the stubborn heart bent toward evil, but he treasures those whose ways are pure. Assault your neighbor and you will certainly be punished, but God will rescue the children of the godly. A beautiful woman who abandons good morals is like a fine gold ring dangling from a pig’s snout. True lovers of God are filled with longings for what is pleasing and good, but the wicked can only expect doom. Generosity brings prosperity, but withholding from charity brings poverty.

Proverbs 11:9-24 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure. A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches. A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself. The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the LORD, but those of blameless ways are his delight. Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered. Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion. The desire of the righteous ends only in good, the expectation of the wicked in wrath. One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.