What does Proverbs Chapter 11 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Opening comparisons and commands retain the chapter’s wording. The speaker’s examples and future assertions remain attributed. Closing sayings are preserved without added events or universal guarantees.

Chapter breakdown

Proverbs 11 opens with deceitful balance abominable and just weight God’s will; pride with reproach and humility wisdom. Just simplicity shall guide, wicked deceit destroy. Riches shall fail in revenge’s day, justice deliver from death; upright justice prospers ways and wickedness causes fall. Righteous justice delivers, unjust caught in snares. Dead wicked have no hope and solicitous expectation shall perish. The just is delivered from distress, wicked given up for him. A dissembler deceives a friend by mouth; knowledge shall deliver the just.

A city shall rejoice when just people prosper and praise when wicked perish; just blessing exalts it, wicked mouth overthrows. Despising a friend is mean-hearted; wise people hold peace and faithful people conceal a friend’s entrusted thing rather than reveal secrets. Without governor people shall fall, much counsel offers safety. Stranger surety shall suffer evil, snare awareness security. Gracious woman shall find glory, strong people riches. Mercy benefits own soul, cruelty casts off kin. Wicked work is unsteady, justice sowing faithfully rewarded; clemency prepares life, evil pursuit death.

Perverse heart is abominable, sincere walkers God’s will. Hand in hand evil man shall not be innocent, just seed shall be saved. Fair foolish woman is a gold ring in swine’s snout. Just desire is good, wicked expectation indignation. Some distribute their goods and grow richer; others take others’ goods and lack. Blessing soul shall be made fat, inebriator inebriated. Hiding corn shall bring public curse, sellers blessing; early good seeking is commended, evil seekers shall be oppressed by evil. No famine, price speculation or state policy is invented.

Riches-truster shall fall, just spring like green leaf; household trouble inherits winds and fool serves wise. Just fruit is life’s tree and soul gaining wise. If the just receives in earth, how much more wicked and sinner. Future assertions retain attribution; strong is not substituted with diligent, nor death resolved as eternal death.

The story inside

Opening: Opening comparisons and commands retain the chapter’s wording. Development: The speaker’s examples and future assertions remain attributed. Conclusion: Closing sayings are preserved without added events or universal guarantees.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Opening comparisons and commands retain the chapter’s wording.
2
The speaker’s examples and future assertions remain attributed.
3
Closing sayings are preserved without added events or universal guarantees.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 68086–68096
11:1. A deceitful balance is an abomination before the Lord: and a just weight is his will. 11:2. Where pride is, there also shall be reproach: but where humility is, there also is wisdom. 11:3. The simplicity of the just shall guide them: and the deceitfulness of the wicked shall destroy them. 11:4. Riches shall not profit in the day of revenge: but justice shall deliver from death.
Lines 68113–68124
11:10. When it goeth well with the just, the city shall rejoice: and when the wicked perish, there shall be praise. 11:11. By the blessing of the just the city shall be exalted: and by the mouth of the wicked it shall be overthrown. 11:12. He that despiseth his friend, is mean of heart: but the wise man will hold his peace. 11:13. He that walketh deceitfully, revealeth secrets: but he that is faithful, concealeth the thing committed to him by his friend.
Lines 68153–68165
11:24. Some distribute their own goods, and grow richer: others take away what is not their own, and are always in want. 11:25. The soul that blesseth, shall be made fat: and he that inebriateth, shall be inebriated also himself. 11:26. He that hideth up corn, shall be cursed among the people: but a blessing upon the head of them that sell. 11:27. Well doth he rise early who seeketh good things; but he that seeketh after evil things, shall be oppressed by them. 11:28. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the just shall