Proverbs · 31 verses
Proverbs 11
Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.
The chapter
What happens here
Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.
A beautiful woman without discretion is set beside a gold ring in a pig’s snout, while elsewhere generosity somehow grows by being given away and grain-hoarding earns a curse.
Weights, words, and the shape of a lifevv. 1–14
The chapter opens at the scales, where dishonest weights are an abomination and an accurate weight delights the LORD. Pride arrives with disgrace in its pocket; humility brings wisdom. Again and again, character becomes its own guide or snare: integrity directs, perversity destroys, righteousness delivers, and the faithless are trapped by their desires. The social world fares no better under a loose tongue. An ungodly mouth can destroy a neighbor, a gossip can reveal a secret, and a wicked mouth can tear down a city; meanwhile, the understanding man remains silent, and many counselors bring deliverance.
The return journey of kindness and crueltyvv. 15–23
The proverbs then turn to what people put into the world and what comes back to them. The one who guarantees a stranger’s debt suffers, while the one who hates indebtedness is secure. A kind man benefits himself; a cruel man brings trouble on himself. The wicked earn an empty wage, but righteousness yields a true reward, and the pursuit of evil brings death. Then comes the chapter’s wonderfully ill-matched ornament: a beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout. The image is brief, exact, and not improved by further decoration.
The grain, the wind, and the tree of lifevv. 24–31
The final movement gives generosity an almost mischievous arithmetic: one gives freely and gains more, while another withholds what is right and becomes poor. The generous soul prospers; the person who refreshes others is refreshed. Grain-hoarding brings the people’s curse, but selling the grain brings blessing—a tidy rebuke to keeping the cupboard mysterious. Trust in riches ends in a fall, whereas the righteous thrive like foliage. A troublesome house inherits the wind, and the fool becomes servant to the wise of heart. The last word is a question of proportion: if the righteous receive their due on earth, what becomes of the ungodly and the sinner?
The text
Read it
Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.
Prov 11:1Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.
Prov 11:2When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.
Prov 11:3The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the faithless destroys them.
Prov 11:4Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
Prov 11:5The righteousness of the blameless directs their path, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
Prov 11:6The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the faithless are trapped by their own desires.
Prov 11:7When the wicked man dies, his hope perishes, and the hope of his strength vanishes.
Prov 11:8The righteous man is delivered from trouble; in his place the wicked man goes in.
Prov 11:9With his mouth the ungodly man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.
Prov 11:10When the righteous thrive, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
Prov 11:11By the blessing of the upright a city is built up, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
Prov 11:12Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks judgment, but a man of understanding remains silent.
Prov 11:13A gossip reveals a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
Prov 11:14For lack of guidance, a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance.
Prov 11:15He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but the one who hates indebtedness is secure.
Prov 11:16A gracious woman attains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
Prov 11:17A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.
Prov 11:18The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.
Prov 11:19Genuine righteousness leads to life, but the pursuit of evil brings death.
Prov 11:20The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their walk are His delight.
Prov 11:21Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.
Prov 11:22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
Prov 11:23The desire of the righteous leads only to good, but the hope of the wicked brings wrath.
Prov 11:24One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.
Prov 11:25A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Prov 11:26The people will curse the hoarder of grain, but blessing will crown the one who sells it.
Prov 11:27He who searches out good finds favor, but evil will come to him who seeks it.
Prov 11:28He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.
Prov 11:29He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
Prov 11:30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
Prov 11:31If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
02 — Read alongside
Where this is echoed
Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 306 passages were voted onto 31 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.
- 25Matthew 5:7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
- 30Daniel 12:3Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.
- 252 Corinthians 9:6–9Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
- 24Proverbs 19:17Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.
- 14Proverbs 24:6Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
- 30James 5:20consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
- 24Luke 6:38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
- 2Proverbs 29:23A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.
- 14Proverbs 15:22Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
- 25Isaiah 58:7–11Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
- 1Deuteronomy 25:13–16You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light.
- 25Matthew 25:34–35Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
- 25Isaiah 32:8But a noble man makes honorable plans; he stands up for worthy causes.
- 24Deuteronomy 15:10Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand.
- 2Proverbs 16:18–19Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
- 14Proverbs 20:18Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.
Onward