What Actually Pays Off.

מֹאזְנֵ֣י מִ֭רְמָה תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וְאֶ֖בֶן שְׁלֵמָ֣ה רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃

A false balance is an abomination to the Lord , but a just weight is his delight.

בָּֽא־זָ֭דוֹן וַיָּבֹ֣א קָל֑וֹן וְֽאֶת־צְנוּעִ֥ים חָכְמָֽה׃

[2] When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.

תֻּמַּ֣ת יְשָׁרִ֣ים תַּנְחֵ֑ם וְסֶ֖לֶף בּוֹגְדִ֣ים ׳וְשָׁדָּם׳ ״יְשָׁדֵּֽם׃״

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

לֹא־יוֹעִ֣יל ה֭וֹן בְּי֣וֹם עֶבְרָ֑ה וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה תַּצִּ֥יל מִמָּֽוֶת׃

[4] Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

צִדְקַ֣ת תָּ֭מִים תְּיַשֵּׁ֣ר דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וּ֝בְרִשְׁעָת֗וֹ יִפֹּ֥ל רָשָֽׁע׃

[5] The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.

צִדְקַ֣ת יְ֭שָׁרִים תַּצִּילֵ֑ם וּ֝בְהַוַּ֗ת בֹּגְדִ֥ים יִלָּכֵֽדוּ׃

[6] The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.

בְּמ֤וֹת אָדָ֣ם רָ֭שָׁע תֹּאבַ֣ד תִּקְוָ֑ה וְתוֹחֶ֖לֶת אוֹנִ֣ים אָבָֽדָה׃

[7] When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.

צַ֭דִּיק מִצָּרָ֣ה נֶחֱלָ֑ץ וַיָּבֹ֖א רָשָׁ֣ע תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

[8] The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead.

בְּפֶ֗ה חָ֭נֵף יַשְׁחִ֣ת רֵעֵ֑הוּ וּ֝בְדַ֗עַת צַדִּיקִ֥ים יֵחָלֵֽצוּ׃

[9] With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.

בְּט֣וּב צַ֭דִּיקִים תַּעֲלֹ֣ץ קִרְיָ֑ה וּבַאֲבֹ֖ד רְשָׁעִ֣ים רִנָּֽה׃

[10] When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.

בְּבִרְכַּ֣ת יְ֭שָׁרִים תָּר֣וּם קָ֑רֶת וּבְפִ֥י רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים תֵּהָרֵֽס׃

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

בָּז־לְרֵעֵ֥הוּ חֲסַר־לֵ֑ב וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנ֣וֹת יַחֲרִֽישׁ׃

[12] Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.

הוֹלֵ֣ךְ רָ֭כִיל מְגַלֶּה־סּ֑וֹד וְנֶאֱמַן־ר֝֗וּחַ מְכַסֶּ֥ה דָבָֽר׃

[13] Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

בְּאֵ֣ין תַּ֭חְבֻּלוֹת יִפָּל־עָ֑ם וּ֝תְשׁוּעָ֗ה בְּרֹ֣ב יוֹעֵֽץ׃

[14] Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

רַע־יֵ֭רוֹעַ כִּי־עָ֣רַב זָ֑ר וְשֹׂנֵ֖א תֹקְעִ֣ים בּוֹטֵֽחַ׃

[15] Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.

אֵֽשֶׁת־חֵ֭ן תִּתְמֹ֣ךְ כָּב֑וֹד וְ֝עָרִיצִ֗ים יִתְמְכוּ־עֹֽשֶׁר׃

[16] A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches.

גֹּמֵ֣ל נַ֭פְשׁוֹ אִ֣ישׁ חָ֑סֶד וְעֹכֵ֥ר שְׁ֝אֵר֗וֹ אַכְזָרִֽי׃

[17] A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

רָשָׁ֗ע עֹשֶׂ֥ה פְעֻלַּת־שָׁ֑קֶר וְזֹרֵ֥עַ צְ֝דָקָ֗ה שֶׂ֣כֶר אֱמֶֽת׃

[18] The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

כֵּן־צְדָקָ֥ה לְחַיִּ֑ים וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף רָעָ֣ה לְמוֹתֽוֹ׃

[19] Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die.

תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה עִקְּשֵׁי־לֵ֑ב וּ֝רְצוֹנ֗וֹ תְּמִ֣ימֵי דָֽרֶךְ׃

[20] Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord , but those of blameless ways are his delight.

יָ֣ד לְ֭יָד לֹא־יִנָּ֣קֶה רָּ֑ע וְזֶ֖רַע צַדִּיקִ֣ים נִמְלָֽט׃

[21] Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.

נֶ֣זֶם זָ֭הָב בְּאַ֣ף חֲזִ֑יר אִשָּׁ֥ה יָ֝פָ֗ה וְסָ֣רַת טָֽעַם׃

[22] Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.

תַּאֲוַ֣ת צַדִּיקִ֣ים אַךְ־ט֑וֹב תִּקְוַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים עֶבְרָֽה׃

[23] The desire of the righteous ends only in good, the expectation of the wicked in wrath.

יֵ֣שׁ מְ֭פַזֵּר וְנוֹסָ֥ף ע֑וֹד וְחוֹשֵׂ֥ךְ מִ֝יֹּ֗שֶׁר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃

[24] One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

נֶֽפֶשׁ־בְּרָכָ֥ה תְדֻשָּׁ֑ן וּ֝מַרְוֶ֗ה גַּם־ה֥וּא יוֹרֶֽא׃

[25] Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

מֹ֣נֵֽעַ בָּ֭ר יִקְּבֻ֣הוּ לְא֑וֹם וּ֝בְרָכָ֗ה לְרֹ֣אשׁ מַשְׁבִּֽיר׃

[26] The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.

שֹׁ֣חֵֽר ט֭וֹב יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ רָצ֑וֹן וְדֹרֵ֖שׁ רָעָ֣ה תְבוֹאֶֽנּוּ׃

[27] Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it.

בּוֹטֵ֣חַ בְּ֭עָשְׁרוֹ ה֣וּא יִפֹּ֑ל וְ֝כֶעָלֶ֗ה צַדִּיקִ֥ים יִפְרָֽחוּ׃

[28] Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.

עוֹכֵ֣ר בֵּ֭יתוֹ יִנְחַל־ר֑וּחַ וְעֶ֥בֶד אֱ֝וִ֗יל לַחֲכַם־לֵֽב׃

[29] Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

פְּֽרִי־צַ֭דִּיק עֵ֣ץ חַיִּ֑ים וְלֹקֵ֖חַ נְפָשׂ֣וֹת חָכָֽם׃

[30] The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.

הֵ֣ן צַ֭דִּיק בָּאָ֣רֶץ יְשֻׁלָּ֑ם אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־רָשָׁ֥ע וְחוֹטֵֽא׃

[31] If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!