Proverbs on Justice, Integrity, and Righteous Living
Proverbs 11:1-31
Pro.11.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- מאזני: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- מרמה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- תועבת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ואבן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- שלמה: ADJ,f,sg,abs
- רצונו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+3ms
Parallels
- Deut.25:13-16 (verbal): Explicit prohibition against differing weights and measures; uses language of 'abomination to the LORD' for dishonest scales, closely paralleling Prov 11:1.
- Lev.19:35-36 (verbal): Commands honest weights and measures ('just balances'); legal/ethical background for the proverb's warning about false balances.
- Prov.20:10 (verbal): Parallel proverb condemning diverse weights and measures as an abomination to the LORD—near verbal and thematic repetition within Proverbs.
- Prov.16:11 (thematic): Affirms that just balances and scales belong to the LORD, echoing the moral valuation of honest weights in Prov 11:1 (justice as divine concern).
- Mic.6:11 (verbal): Denounces acquitting the wicked with deceitful scales and bags of wrong weights—uses the same imagery of fraudulent measures as a moral/religious indictment.
Alternative generated candidates
- A balance of deceit is an abomination to the LORD; a just stone is his delight.
- False scales are an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.
Pro.11.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- זדון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויבא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- קלון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואת: CONJ
- צנועים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- חכמה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Proverbs 16:18 (verbal): Links pride directly to ruin/disgrace—'pride goes before destruction' echoes the cause-effect of pride → shame in Prov 11:2.
- Proverbs 29:23 (verbal): Contrasts pride bringing a person low with the exaltation/honor of the humble, closely paralleling the contrast of shame vs. wisdom/humility.
- Proverbs 18:12 (verbal): States that a haughty heart precedes destruction and humility precedes honor, a near-verbatim thematic pair with Prov 11:2.
- Proverbs 15:33 (structural): Asserts that 'before honor is humility' and ties humility to wisdom/honorable status, matching Prov 11:2’s linkage of humility with wisdom.
- James 4:6 (allusion): New Testament application of the same principle—God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble—echoing the wisdom tradition that humility yields favor/wisdom.
Alternative generated candidates
- When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom.
- When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom.
Pro.11.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- תמת: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ישרים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- תנחם: VERB,hiphil,imperf,2,m,sg
- וסלף: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בוגדים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ישדם: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Prov.10.9 (verbal): Closely parallels the contrast between integrity and crookedness: walking in integrity brings security/guide, but perverting one's ways leads to exposure or ruin.
- Prov.28.18 (verbal): Sustains the same proverb-contrast: blameless/walks in integrity = deliverance, while crooked ways bring sudden fall—same moral consequence as 11:3.
- Prov.20.7 (thematic): Affirms the ethical value of integrity for the righteous (walking in integrity), emphasizing the positive outcome and legacy for the upright, resonating with 11:3’s focus on integrity’s benefit.
- Ps.25.21 (allusion): Uses the language of 'integrity' (תָּמִים/תום) preserved or guiding the speaker—echoes 11:3’s idea that integrity sustains or guides the righteous, opposed to the fate of the deceitful.
Alternative generated candidates
- The integrity of the upright guides them; the crookedness of the treacherous ruins them.
- The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
Pro.11.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- לא: PART_NEG
- יועיל: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- הון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ביום: PREP
- עברה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- וצדקה: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- תציל: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- ממות: PREP,NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Prov.11:28 (structural): Within Proverbs: contrasts trust in wealth with the flourishing of the righteous—echoes the warning that riches do not rescue in crisis.
- Ezekiel 7:19 (verbal): Speaks of people throwing silver and gold into the streets because their wealth cannot deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath—close verbal and thematic parallel.
- Psalm 49:6-9 (thematic): Asserts that no amount of wealth can ransom a life or prevent death—themes of money’s impotence at death mirror Prov.11:4.
- Luke 12:20-21 (thematic): Jesus’ parable of the rich fool: the rich man’s goods cannot save him at death; life does not consist in possessions—New Testament echo of the proverb.
- Mark 8:36 (thematic): “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”—expresses the same conviction that worldly gain cannot avert ultimate loss.
Alternative generated candidates
- Wealth will not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
- Wealth will not deliver on the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
Pro.11.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צדקת: NOUN,f,sg,cs
- תמים: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- תישר: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,f,sg
- דרכו: NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- וברשעתו: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+3ms
- יפל: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- רשע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Proverbs 11:3 (verbal): Uses nearly identical contrast: integrity/ uprightness guiding one’s way versus perverseness/wickedness bringing destruction.
- Proverbs 10:29 (thematic): Speaks of the upright’s way being upheld (‘way of the LORD is strength to the upright’) contrasted with destruction for the wicked.
- Psalm 1:6 (thematic): Contrasts the way/outcome of the righteous with that of the wicked (‘the way of the righteous... the way of the ungodly shall perish’).
- Psalm 37:23-24 (thematic): Describes the LORD directing and upholding the steps of the righteous so that though they fall they are not utterly cast down.
- Proverbs 16:9 (thematic): Affirms the idea of a righteous person’s way being directed (human plans vs. the LORD directing one’s steps), echoing ‘righteous... direct his way.’
Alternative generated candidates
- The righteousness of the blameless makes his way straight; by his own wickedness the guilty will fall.
- Righteousness makes the blameless’s way straight, but by his own wickedness the wicked will fall.
Pro.11.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צדקת: NOUN,f,sg,cs
- ישרים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- תצילם: VERB,qal,ipf,3,f,sg
- ובהות: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בגדים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ילכדו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Prov.11:3 (structural): Parallel contrast within the same chapter: the upright are guided/saved by their integrity, while the treacherous are ruined by their deceit—same moral pattern as v.6.
- Prov.11:4 (verbal): Closely related wording and theme—righteousness saves/delivers (צדקה תציל), emphasizing deliverance of the upright rather than wealth.
- Prov.26:27 (verbal): Uses the common proverb-image of one falling into the pit he digs—parallels the idea that the treacherous or lustful are ensnared by their own devices.
- Ps.34:19 (thematic): Expresses the theological theme that the LORD delivers the righteous from their troubles, echoing the promise of rescue for the upright.
Alternative generated candidates
- Righteousness preserves the upright, but treachery ensnares the faithless.
- The righteousness of the upright will save them, but the treachery of the treacherous will entangle them.
Pro.11.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- במות: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אדם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- רשע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- תאבד: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- תקוה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ותוחלת: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- אונים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אבדה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Proverbs 10:28 (verbal): Direct verbal parallel: contrasts the righteous' hope with the perishing of the wicked's expectation (same diction about hope/expectation perishing).
- Job 18:20–21 (thematic): Bildad's description of the fate of the wicked—light/fortune is extinguished and escape/hope is cut off—echoes the idea that the wicked's expectation vanishes at death.
- Psalm 37:9–10 (thematic): Speaks of the removal and end of the wicked—'yet a little while and the wicked will be no more'—paralleling the loss of hope/expectation for the wicked.
- Psalm 49:12,20 (thematic): Declares that the proud/wealthy (and by extension the wicked) ultimately perish like beasts; underscores the futility of relying on worldly hope, which comes to nothing at death.
Alternative generated candidates
- When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.
- When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.
Pro.11.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- צדיק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מצרה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- נחלץ: VERB,niphal,perf,3,m,sg
- ויבא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- רשע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- תחתיו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 34:19 (thematic): Affirms that the righteous are delivered from many afflictions—parallel theme of God rescuing the righteous from trouble.
- Psalm 37:25 (thematic): Declares that the righteous are not forsaken (and are provided for), echoing the proverb’s assurance of rescue for the righteous.
- Proverbs 10:29 (verbal): Contrasts the protection/strength given to the upright with destruction for the wicked—verbal and thematic parallel to rescue of the righteous and downfall of the wicked.
- Psalm 145:20 (thematic): States that the LORD preserves those who love him but brings down the wicked, reflecting the paired outcomes for righteous and wicked in Prov 11:8.
Alternative generated candidates
- The righteous is rescued from trouble, and the wicked takes his place.
- The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked takes his place.
Pro.11.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בפה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חנף: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- ישחת: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- רעהו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+3ms
- ובדעת: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- צדיקים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- יחלצו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Proverbs 12:6 (verbal): Contrasts wicked speech that lies in wait for blood with the delivering lips of the upright—closely parallels the contrast between destructive speech and righteous deliverance.
- Proverbs 10:11 (thematic): Speaks of the righteous mouth as a fountain of life versus the wicked mouth concealing violence—echoes the moral effect of speech in Prov 11:9.
- Proverbs 18:21 (verbal): Declares that death and life are in the power of the tongue, thematically linking speech with harm or salvation as in Prov 11:9.
- Psalm 52:2–4 (verbal): Accuses the wicked of using the tongue to devise destruction and cruelty—a parallel image of speech that harms one’s neighbor.
- James 3:5–6 (allusion): New Testament reflection on the tongue’s capacity to set great things ablaze and cause ruin, echoing the wisdom tradition’s warning about destructive speech.
Alternative generated candidates
- A perverse tongue destroys a neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
- With his mouth the perverse destroys his neighbor; by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
Pro.11.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בטוב: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- צדיקים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- תעלץ: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- קריה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ובאבד: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- רשעים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- רנה: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Prov.29:2 (verbal): Very close parallel in idea and wording: the prosperity or rise of the righteous brings joy to the people, while the success of the wicked brings lamentation or groaning.
- Prov.28:12 (verbal): Similar contrast between outcomes when the righteous prevail (glory/joy) and when the wicked are dominant (fear/concealment), echoing the cause–effect for a city/community.
- Prov.14:34 (thematic): Affirms the broader proverb theme that righteousness brings blessing and exaltation to a nation/city, whereas sin or wickedness brings reproach or ruin.
- Isa.32:17 (thematic): Connects the moral/social consequence: the fruit of righteousness is peace and quiet confidence for the community, analogous to a city's rejoicing when the righteous prosper.
Alternative generated candidates
- When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there is celebration.
- When the righteous prosper, a city rejoices; when the wicked perish there is shouting.
Pro.11.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בברכת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,cons
- ישרים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- תרום: VERB,qal,imf,3,f,sg
- קרת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ובפי: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- רשעים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- תהרס: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
Parallels
- Prov.11:10 (structural): Immediate parallel within the chapter: both verses contrast the welfare/elevation of the city when the righteous prosper with the ruin or disgrace associated with the wicked.
- Prov.14:34 (thematic): Closely related theme—righteousness (or the blessing of the upright) exalts a nation, while sin or wickedness is a reproach that brings decline.
- Prov.10:11 (verbal): Shared imagery of the mouth: the righteous' speech as life or blessing versus the wicked's words bringing harm—here applied to a city's welfare.
- Prov.29:2 (thematic): Parallel contrast of societal effects depending on who rules or influences the community: the presence of the righteous brings joy/uplift, while the wicked cause suffering or collapse.
Alternative generated candidates
- By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted; by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.
- By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
Pro.11.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בז: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לרעהו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,poss3ms
- חסר: ADJ,m,sg
- לב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואיש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- תבונות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- יחריש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Proverbs 17:28 (verbal): Contrasts a fool's silence being counted wise with the theme here that a man of understanding keeps quiet; both link restraint of speech with wisdom.
- Proverbs 10:19 (thematic): Affirms the wisdom of holding one's tongue—many words lead to sin, while restraint indicates prudence, paralleling the praise of silence in Prov 11:12.
- Proverbs 21:23 (thematic): Speaks of protecting oneself by guarding mouth and tongue; parallels the idea that a person of understanding remains silent and avoids harm.
- James 1:19 (thematic): New Testament exhortation to be quick to hear and slow to speak echoes the proverb's valuation of restraint in speech as a mark of understanding.
Alternative generated candidates
- He who derides his neighbor lacks heart, but a man of understanding keeps silent.
- He who belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding keeps silent.
Pro.11.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- הולך: VERB,qal,ptc,3,m,sg
- רכיל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מגלה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- סוד: NOUN,m,sg,cs
- ונאמן: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg
- רוח: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מכסה: VERB,piel,part,3,m,sg
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Prov.20:19 (verbal): Very close parallel wording and thought—both warn that a talebearer/revealer of secrets spreads private matters and should not be trusted or associated with.
- Prov.17:9 (thematic): Contrasts concealing an offense (which preserves love) with repeating matters (which separates friends), echoing the praise of discretion and the harm of talebearing in 11:13.
- Prov.26:20-22 (verbal): Uses the image of fire and spreading fuel to describe how a gossip's words ignite quarrels—illustrating the destructive social effects of revealing secrets similar to 11:13.
- Lev.19:16 (allusion): Legal/ethical prohibition against going about as a slanderer among the people—provides an earlier covenantal basis for the proverb's condemnation of talebearing.
- James 3:5-6 (thematic): New Testament reflection on the tongue's destructive power, showing how small speech (gossip) can cause great harm—echoes the moral concern about revealing secrets versus guarding them.
Alternative generated candidates
- A talebearer reveals secrets, but one of faithful spirit conceals a matter.
- A talebearer reveals secrets, but one of faithful spirit conceals a matter.
Pro.11.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- באין: PREP
- תחבלות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- יפל: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- עם: PREP
- ותשועה: CONJ
- ברב: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יועץ: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Prov.15:22 (verbal): Same contrast between lack of counsel and success with many advisers—plans fail without counsel, but many advisers bring success/deliverance.
- Prov.24:6 (verbal): Uses similar language about the necessity of wise guidance and an abundance of counselors to achieve victory/safety (especially in crisis).
- Prov.19:20 (thematic): Encourages listening to counsel and instruction to gain wisdom—echoes the proverb's positive valuation of advisors for communal/individual well‑being.
- Exod.18:13-27 (structural): Jethro's counsel to Moses to appoint judges relieves Moses and preserves order—an applied example of how good counsel prevents collapse and secures deliverance.
- 1 Kings 12:6-11 (cf. 2 Chron.10) (structural): Rehoboam's rejection of the elders' wise counsel (and acceptance of poor advice) leads to national rupture—an illustrative negative case of lacking good counsel.
Alternative generated candidates
- Where there is no counsel a people falls; in the abundance of advisers there is deliverance.
- Where there is no guidance a people falls; in the abundance of counselors there is safety.
Pro.11.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- רע: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- ירוע: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- ערב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- זר: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- ושנא: CONJ+VERB,qal,ptc,_,m,sg
- תקעים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- בוטח: PART,qal,act,m,sg
Parallels
- Prov.6:1-5 (quotation): Direct warning against becoming surety or striking hands for another; counsels to free oneself from such obligations — closely parallels the admonition in Prov 11:15.
- Prov.17:18 (verbal): States that a fool gives pledges and becomes surety, using similar language and the same basic moral point about the danger of guarantying another.
- Prov.22:26-27 (thematic): Explicitly warns ‘Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts,’ echoing the practical and prudential concern of Prov 11:15.
- Prov.27:13 (structural): Advises taking a garment as a pledge when one becomes surety for a stranger — a practical corollary that presumes the risks described in Prov 11:15.
Alternative generated candidates
- He who becomes surety for a stranger suffers harm; he who hates suretyship is secure.
- Woe to him who gives security for a stranger; he who hates being surety is secure.
Pro.11.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אשת: NOUN,f,sg,cns
- חן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- תתמך: VERB,hithpael,impf,3,f,sg
- כבוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ועריצים: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- יתמכו: VERB,hitp,impf,3,m,pl
- עשר: NUM,card,m,sg,cons
Parallels
- Prov.12.4 (thematic): Connects the portrayal of a morally excellent woman with honor/blessing for the household (a virtuous woman as a crown), echoing Prov.11:16's link of a gracious woman and honor.
- Prov.31:25 (verbal): Uses the language of 'strength and honor' as clothing of the ideal woman (eshet ḥayil), closely paralleling the theme and wording of a woman associated with honor in Prov.11:16.
- Eccles.7:1 (thematic): Affirms the value of a good name/honor over costly goods — 'a good name is better than fine perfume' — paralleling Prov.11:16's contrast between honor and material gain.
- Prov.28:6 (thematic): Contrasts integrity/honor with riches obtained by crooked means — 'better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked though he be rich' — echoing Prov.11:16's juxtaposition of a woman's honor and the violent/wealthy.
Alternative generated candidates
- A gracious woman gains honor; ruthless men gain riches.
- A gracious woman obtains honor, but ruthless men obtain riches.
Pro.11.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- גמל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נפשו: NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חסד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ועכר: CONJ+VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- שארו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+3ms
- אכזרי: ADJ,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Prov.19:17 (verbal): Kindness to the poor is portrayed as an act that yields reward (’lends to the LORD, who will repay’), echoing the idea that showing mercy benefits the giver.
- Prov.14:21 (thematic): Contrasts contempt for one’s neighbor with the blessings of kindness; both verses present kindness as morally profitable and cruelty as blameworthy.
- Gal.6:7-10 (structural): The principle of moral reciprocity (‘sow to the Spirit… reap eternal life’) parallels Proverbs’ idea that compassionate or cruel behavior ultimately returns to the actor.
- Luke 6:35-36 (allusion): Jesus’ call to be merciful as the Father is merciful and the promise of reward for loving enemies echoes the Proverbs’ link between kindness and beneficial outcome.
Alternative generated candidates
- A merciful person benefits his own soul; a cruel man harms his own flesh.
- A merciful person does good to his own soul, but one who is cruel brings trouble on himself.
Pro.11.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- רשע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- עשה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- פעלת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- שקר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וזרע: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- צדקה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- שכר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אמת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Prov.10.16 (verbal): Contrasts the ‘wages’/gain of the righteous and the wicked — similar vocabulary and reward motif as Prov 11:18’s ‘wages’ and ‘reward.’
- Hosea 10.12 (verbal): Uses the agricultural metaphor ‘sow righteousness’ and promises a fitting harvest (‘reap steadfast love’) — closely parallels the ‘sow righteousness / reap a true reward’ language.
- Galatians 6.7-8 (verbal): New Testament exposition of the sowing-and-reaping principle: whatever one sows, one will also reap — moral consequences for righteous versus wicked behavior.
- Romans 2.6 (thematic): States that God ‘will render to each one according to his works,’ reflecting the theme of moral recompense found in Prov 11:18.
- Jeremiah 17.10 (allusion): God searches hearts and ‘repays man according to his ways,’ echoing the idea that righteous deeds yield true reward while wicked gains are deceptive.
Alternative generated candidates
- The wicked earns deceitful wages, but the sower of righteousness receives a sure reward.
- The wicked earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.
Pro.11.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כן: ADV
- צדקה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לחיים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ומרדף: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- רעה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- למותו: VERB,qal,inf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Prov.10:2 (verbal): Contrasts ill-gotten gain with righteousness; explicitly says righteousness 'delivers from death,' closely echoing Prov.11:19's life/death contrast.
- Prov.11:4 (verbal): States that righteousness delivers from death despite wealth's failure in judgment—another close verbal formulation linking righteousness with deliverance from death.
- Prov.10:16 (verbal): Affirms that the 'wages' or outcome of the righteous is life, paralleling Prov.11:19's assertion that righteousness leads to life versus evil leading to death.
- Rom.6:23 (thematic): New Testament theological parallel: 'the wages of sin is death; the gift of God is eternal life,' echoing the moral correlation of righteousness with life and sin/evil with death.
- Ps.1:6 (thematic): Contrasts the destiny of the righteous and the wicked—'the LORD knows the way of the righteous, the way of the wicked will perish'—paralleling the life/death outcome motif in Prov.11:19.
Alternative generated candidates
- Indeed, righteousness leads to life; the pursuit of evil results in death.
- Righteousness leads to life; the pursuit of evil leads to death.
Pro.11.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- תועבת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- עקשי: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- לב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ורצונו: NOUN,m,sg,abs,poss3ms
- תמימי: ADJ,m,pl,cstr
- דרך: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Proverbs 3:32 (verbal): Uses the same contrast—'perverse' as an abomination to the LORD—contrasting the perverse with the upright; closely parallels wording and thought.
- Proverbs 12:22 (verbal): Contrasts what the LORD detests (lying/perversity) with what he delights in (truthfulness/uprightness), echoing the same antithetical pattern.
- Psalm 5:4-5 (thematic): Affirms that God does not delight in wickedness and hates workers of evil—the same divine distaste for moral perversity found in Prov 11:20.
- Psalm 119:1 (thematic): Blessing on those whose way is blameless ('whose way is undefiled'), paralleling Prov 11:20's affirmation that God delights in blameless ways.
- Psalm 11:5 (thematic): Declares that the LORD's soul 'hates' the wicked and violent, echoing the language of divine detestation directed at perverse hearts in Prov 11:20.
Alternative generated candidates
- The LORD detests a perverse heart, but delights in those whose way is blameless.
- An arrogant heart is an abomination to the LORD; the one whose ways are blameless is his delight.
Pro.11.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ליד: PREP
- לא: PART_NEG
- ינקה: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- רע: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- וזרע: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- צדיקים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- נמלט: VERB,nip,perf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Prov.11:6 (verbal): Same chapter and similar language: 'the righteousness of the upright shall deliver them' and transgressors taken — contrasts deliverance for the righteous with judgment for the wicked.
- Prov.12:7 (verbal): Parallel contrast: 'The wicked are overthrown and are no more; but the house of the righteous shall stand.' Both verses contrast fate of wicked and security of the righteous/ their seed.
- Prov.13:21 (verbal): 'Evil pursues sinners, but to the righteous good shall be repaid.' Closely parallels the idea that the wicked suffer consequences while the righteous (or their offspring) are delivered/blessed.
- Ps.1:6 (thematic): Same theological theme: 'For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish' — divine knowledge/judgment preserving the righteous and punishing the wicked.
- Gal.6:7 (thematic): New Testament analogue: 'You will reap what you sow.' Reflects the moral principle underlying Prov.11:21 that actions bring corresponding consequences (wicked punished, righteous rewarded/delivered).
Alternative generated candidates
- Though evildoers may unite, they will not escape; the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
- Though the hands of the wicked join together, evil will not go unpunished; but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
Pro.11.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- נזם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- זהב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- באף: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חזיר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- יפה: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- וסרת: CONJ+VERB,qal,part,f,sg
- טעם: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Prov.31:30 (thematic): Contrasts superficial charm and beauty with the true worth of a woman who fears the Lord — valuing inner virtue over outward appearance.
- 1 Peter 3:3-4 (thematic): Warns against reliance on external adornment and commends the inner, hidden beauty of the heart, echoing the proverb’s devaluation of mere outward beauty without discretion.
- Isaiah 3:16-23 (thematic): Condemns proud adornment of the daughters of Zion and describes removal or worthlessness of finery — a prophetic critique of external beauty and vanity.
- 1 Samuel 16:7 (thematic): Affirms that human judgment focuses on outward appearance while God examines the heart, paralleling the proverb’s contrast between external beauty and inner sense/discretion.
Alternative generated candidates
- A gold ring in a pig's snout—so is a beautiful woman lacking sense.
- Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.
Pro.11.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- תאות: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- צדיקים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אך: PART
- טוב: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- תקות: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- רשעים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- עברה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
Parallels
- Proverbs 10:28 (verbal): Closely parallel wording and contrast: the hope/expectation of the righteous brings joy, while the expectation of the wicked perishes.
- Proverbs 11:7 (verbal): Same chapter echoes the idea that the hope of the wicked perishes at death, reinforcing the theme of righteous good vs. wicked futility.
- Job 27:8 (verbal): Speaks of the lack of hope for the godless when cut off, echoing the motif that the wicked's expectations come to nothing.
- Psalm 37:4 (thematic): Affirms that the desires of the righteous are fulfilled (delighting in the LORD leads to granted desires), paralleling the positive outcome for the righteous in Proverbs 11:23.
- Isaiah 3:10-11 (thematic): Contrasts blessing for the righteous with woe for the wicked, similar to Proverbs 11:23's juxtaposition of good for the righteous and ruin for the wicked.
Alternative generated candidates
- The desire of the righteous is only good; the hope of the wicked comes to wrath.
- The desire of the righteous is only good, but the hope of the wicked is wrath.
Pro.11.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- יש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- מפזר: VERB,qal,ptc,NA,m,sg
- ונוסף: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg,abs
- עוד: ADV
- וחושך: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מישר: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- אך: PART
- למחסור: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Proverbs 11:25 (thematic): Close paralell in the same chapter: generosity refreshes and is blessed ('the generous soul will be made rich'), reinforcing the idea that giving leads to increase and blessing.
- Proverbs 22:9 (thematic): Affirms the blessing associated with generosity: the 'bountiful eye' who shares with the poor is blessed, echoing the positive outcome of scattering/giving in Prov 11:24.
- Proverbs 28:27 (thematic): Contrasts giving and withholding: whoever gives to the poor lacks nothing, while turning away brings curse—parallel to the reward of generosity and the loss from withholding in Prov 11:24.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (verbal): Uses the agricultural sowing/reaping image ('whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly') to teach that generous giving results in greater return, resonating with the 'scatter and increase' motif of Prov 11:24.
- Luke 6:38 (verbal): Jesus' promise ('Give, and it will be given to you... the measure you give will be the measure you get back') mirrors the reciprocity of giving and increase found in Prov 11:24.
Alternative generated candidates
- One gives freely, yet grows all the more; another withholds what is due and comes to poverty.
- There are those who scatter and yet increase; and there are those who withhold more than is right, only to come to want.
Pro.11.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- נפש: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ברכה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- תדשן: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- ומרוה: CONJ+VERB,piel,part,3,m,sg
- גם: ADV
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
- יורא: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Proverbs 22:9 (verbal): Closely parallels the sentiment and language: a bountiful/generous eye brings blessing because one gives bread to the poor—same reward-for-giving motif within Proverbs.
- Proverbs 19:17 (thematic): Expresses the idea that generosity to the needy is treated as lending to the LORD and will be repaid—same theological basis for blessing the generous.
- Luke 6:38 (thematic): Jesus’ reciprocity formula ('Give, and it will be given to you…') echoes the Proverbs principle that those who give/refresh others will themselves be blessed/refreshed.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (verbal): Paul’s image of sowing and reaping and God’s provision for generous givers parallels Proverbs’ reciprocal blessing for those who refresh others.
- Matthew 10:42 (thematic): Promises a reward for even small acts of kindness (giving a cup of cold water), resonating with Proverbs’ assurance that those who refresh others will be refreshed.
Alternative generated candidates
- The generous soul will be enriched; the one who gives drink will himself be refreshed.
- The generous soul will be made rich; he who waters others will himself be watered.
Pro.11.26 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- מנע: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בר: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- יקבהו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- לאום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וברכה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לראש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- משביר: VERB,piel,ptc,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Prov.28.27 (verbal): Closely parallels the contrast between giving and withholding: “He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses,” echoing blessing for those who supply food and curse for those who withhold it.
- Prov.22.9 (thematic): Shows same theme that generosity with food/provisions brings blessing: “He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.”
- Deut.15.10 (structural): Legal/communal promise linking giving to blessing: instructs Israelites to open hand to the poor and declares that God will bless those who give, paralleling the promise of blessing for sellers/givers in Prov 11:26.
- Isa.58.7 (thematic): Prophetic exhortation to share bread with the hungry and shelter the oppressed; connects social ethics of providing food with righteous/blessed standing, similar to Prov’s blessing for those who supply grain.
- Matt.25.35-40 (thematic): Jesus’ teaching that feeding the hungry is a righteous, rewarded act—those who provide for the needy are blessed/receive approval—parallels Proverbs’ linkage of supplying food with blessing and withholding with culpability.
Alternative generated candidates
- Whoever withholds grain, the people will curse him; blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.
- Whoever withholds grain will be cursed by the people, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells.
Pro.11.27 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- שחר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- טוב: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- יבקש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- רצון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ודרש: VERB,qal,ptc,3,m,sg
- רעה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- תבואנו: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
Parallels
- Proverbs 13:21 (thematic): Contrasts pursuit and consequence: misfortune follows sinners while the righteous obtain good—similar moral causality to seeking good vs. seeking evil.
- Proverbs 11:18 (thematic): Same chapter contrast: the wicked reap deceptive gain, but the one who pursues righteousness receives a reward—parallels outcome-based ethics of seeking good or evil.
- Matthew 7:7 (verbal): Uses the verb 'seek' with promise of finding (positive outcome). Parallels the formulaic link between seeking (רָצוֹן/seek good) and receiving favor or result.
- Galatians 6:7 (thematic): Principle of moral retribution—'whatever one sows, that will he also reap'—echoes the idea that pursuing evil brings evil upon oneself while pursuing good yields blessing.
Alternative generated candidates
- One who seeks good finds favor; one who searches for trouble will find it.
- He who seeks good finds favor, but evil will come to him who searches for it.
Pro.11.28 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בוטח: PART,qal,act,m,sg
- בעשרו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
- יפל: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- וכעלה: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- צדיקים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- יפרחו: VERB,qal,impf,3,pl
Parallels
- Jeremiah 17:5-8 (verbal): A close verbal and thematic parallel: Jeremiah contrasts trusting in man/wealth (cursed) with trusting in the LORD (blessed and like a tree planted by water), echoing Prov 11:28’s warning about reliance on riches and the image of the flourishing righteous.
- Psalm 1:3 (thematic): Uses the same botanical imagery of the righteous as a well‑watered, fruitful tree—paralleling Prov 11:28’s depiction of the righteous ‘flourishing.’
- Psalm 92:12-14 (thematic): Speaks of the righteous flourishing like the palm tree and cedar, rooted and thriving—another poetic parallel to the flourishing of the righteous in Prov 11:28.
- 1 Timothy 6:17 (thematic): Paul’s instruction to the wealthy not to set their hope on uncertain riches but on God parallels the moral point of Prov 11:28: trusting in wealth leads to downfall, while trust in God yields stability/blessing.
Alternative generated candidates
- He who trusts in his riches will fall; the righteous, like a green leaf, will flourish.
- He who trusts in his wealth will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage.
Pro.11.29 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- עוכר: VERB,piel,ptc,m,sg
- ביתו: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ינחל: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- רוח: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ועבד: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אויל: ADJ,m,sg
- לחכם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Proverbs 14:1 (verbal): Contrasts the wise/woman who builds her house with the one who destroys it—directly parallels the motif of harming versus maintaining the household.
- Proverbs 24:3-4 (thematic): Affirms that wisdom builds and establishes a house, providing a thematic counterpoint to 'one who troubles his house will inherit the wind.'
- Proverbs 17:25 (thematic): Speaks of a foolish son as grief to his father—another proverb linking family folly with ruinous effects on the household.
- Ecclesiastes 10:7 (thematic): Describes social reversal (servants on horses, princes walking as servants), echoing the idea that fools may end up as servants to the wise-hearted.
- Matthew 7:24-27 (structural): Jesus’ parable of houses built on rock versus sand uses the house-as-life-image to teach that wise foundations endure while foolish action brings ruin, paralleling the proverb’s household imagery and outcome.
Alternative generated candidates
- He who ruins his own house will inherit the wind; the fool will be servant to a man of understanding.
- He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind; and a fool will be servant to a wise-hearted man.
Pro.11.30 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- פרי: NOUN,m,sg,cs
- צדיק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- עץ: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חיים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- ולקח: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- נפשות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- חכם: ADJ,m,sg
Parallels
- Prov.3:18 (verbal): Explicitly calls wisdom a 'tree of life' (עֵץ חַיִּים), paralleling Proverbs 11:30's image of righteous fruit as life-giving.
- Gen.2:9 (allusion): The original motif of the 'tree of life' in Eden provides the background for Proverbs' life-giving tree imagery.
- Rev.2:7 (allusion): Uses the promise of the 'tree of life' for the faithful—echoes the reward/benefit motif associated with life-giving fruit in Proverbs 11:30.
- James 5:20 (thematic): Speaks of bringing back a sinner and 'saving a soul from death,' echoing Proverbs' concern with 'winning/saving souls' (לָקַחַת נְפָשׁוֹת).
- 1 Cor.9:22 (thematic): Paul's ministry goal 'that I might save some' parallels the Proverbs theme of the wise person who 'wins souls' through influential life and teaching.
Alternative generated candidates
- The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; the one who is wise wins souls.
- The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise wins souls.
Pro.11.31 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- הן: PART
- צדיק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
- ישלם: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אף: ADV
- כי: CONJ
- רשע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וחוטא: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 37:9-11 (thematic): Both passages promise that the righteous will inherit/blessings on the land while the wicked are cut off or removed—reward and vindication of the righteous on the earth.
- Isaiah 3:10-11 (verbal): Isaiah pairs the blessing of the righteous ('it shall be well with the righteous') with woe for the wicked—closely echoing Prov.11:31's contrast of recompense for the righteous and punishment for the wicked.
- Matthew 5:5 (allusion): The Beatitude 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth' echoes the Old Testament motif (as in Proverbs) of the righteous receiving the land/earth as their reward.
- Romans 2:6 (thematic): Paul's principle that God 'will repay each person according to his works' reflects the same moral-retributive principle of divine recompense for righteous and wicked found in Proverbs 11:31.
Alternative generated candidates
- Behold, the righteous shall be repaid on earth—how much more the wicked and the sinner.
- Behold, the righteous shall be repaid on earth— how much more the wicked and the sinner.
Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an honest weight is his delight.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom.
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
The righteousness of the blameless makes his way straight, but by his own wickedness the wicked will fall.
The righteousness of the upright will rescue them, but the treacherous are ensnared by their own schemes.
When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; the expectation of the unjust comes to nothing.
The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked takes his place.
A flattering mouth destroys a neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are delivered.
When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there is exultation.
By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is ruined.
He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding holds his peace.
A gossip reveals secrets, but a trustworthy spirit conceals a matter.
Where there is no guidance a people falls; in the abundance of counselors there is safety.
He who becomes surety for a stranger will suffer harm; he who hates acting as guarantor is secure.
A gracious woman gains honor, and the ruthless gain riches.
A man of mercy benefits his own soul; the cruel man harms himself.
The wicked earns deceitful wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.
Righteousness leads to life, while the pursuit of evil leads to death.
The LORD detests the perverse of heart, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
Though evildoers multiply their hands, evil will not go unpunished; the seed of the righteous will be delivered.
A gold ring in a pig's snout—so is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.
The desire of the righteous brings only good; the hope of the wicked is wrath.
Some give freely and yet grow all the more; others withhold what is due, only to become poor.
A generous soul prospers; whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Whoever withholds grain will be cursed by the people, but blessing rests on the head of the one who sells.
Those who seek good find favor; those who search for evil come upon it.
One who trusts in riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind; the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and one who wins souls is wise.
Behold, the righteous shall be repaid on the earth; how much more the wicked and the sinner.