Veritable King James Version
1The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child brings joy to a father, but a foolish child grief to a mother.
2Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.
3The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but He thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4A slack hand brings poverty, but a diligent hand makes rich.
5One who gathers in summer is prudent; one who sleeps at harvest is shameful.
6Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
8The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
9One who walks in integrity walks securely, but one who twists their ways will be found out.
10A winking eye causes trouble, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
13Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of the senseless.
14The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool hastens ruin.
15The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
16The wage of the righteous leads to life, but the gain of the wicked to sin.
17One who heeds instruction is on the path to life, but one who rejects correction goes astray.
18One who hides hatred has lying lips, and one who spreads slander is a fool.
19In a multitude of words, sin is not absent, but one who restrains their lips is prudent.
20The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.
22The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.
23Doing wrong is like sport to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to the discerning.
24What the wicked dread will come upon them, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25When the storm passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous stand firm forever.
26Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send them.
27The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked are shortened.
28The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
29The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright, but ruin for evildoers.
30The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32The lips of the righteous know what is pleasing, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse. Proverbs 11 The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 11 – VKJV
Translation notes
In verse 1, Hebrew ben (“son”) is translated as “child” for inclusivity, applicable to any offspring. Chakam (“wise”) and kesil (“foolish”) contrast intellectual and moral dispositions, with parental joy or grief as outcomes; cross-reference Proverbs 17:21. Verse 2’s otzarot (“treasures”) with resha (“wickedness”) implies unjust gain, while tzedaqah (“righteousness”) delivers from mavet (lit. “death”), possibly physical or spiritual; cf. Proverbs 11:4. In verse 3, “The Lord” capitalizes the divine name (YHWH), with nefesh (“soul” or “appetite”) of the righteous preserved, contrasting the thwarted havvah (“craving”) of the wicked; cross-reference Psalm 34:10. Verse 4’s remiyyah (“slack”) and charutz (“diligent”) are economic metaphors for effort, with rish (“poverty”) and ashir (“rich”) as results. Verse 5’s qatzir (“harvest”) and maskil (“prudent”) emphasize timely action; bush (“shameful”) reflects social disgrace. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants (e.g., 4Q103) alter this section, affirming Masoretic Text reliability.
Verse 6’s berakot (“blessings”) and tzedaqah (“righteous”) contrast with chamas (“violence”) hidden by the wicked’s mouth, suggesting deceit; cross-reference Proverbs 10:11. In verse 7, zeker (“memory”) of the righteous brings blessing, while shem (“name”) of the wicked decays (yaq, lit. “rots”), implying oblivion; cf. Psalm 112:6. Verse 8’s chakam-lev (“wise in heart”) accepts mitzvot (“commands”), while evil sefatayim (“chattering fool”) denotes reckless speech leading to lavat (“ruin”). Verse 9’s tom (“integrity”) ensures security, contrasted with iqesh (“twists”), implying perverse paths exposed; cross-reference Psalm 25:21. Verse 10’s qoretz ayin (“winking eye”) suggests sly mischief, with ruin paralleling verse 8 for emphasis. No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
Verse 11 repeats verse 6’s contrast, with maqor chayyim (“fountain of life”) for the righteous’s mouth versus chamas (“violence”) concealed; cross-reference Psalm 36:9. Verse 12’s sin’ah (“hatred”) and ahavah (“love”) contrast outcomes, with love covering pesha’im (“offenses”), suggesting forgiveness; cf. 1 Peter 4:8. In verse 13, navon (“discerning”) speaks wisdom, while shevet (“rod”) for the chasar-lev (“senseless,” lit. “lacking heart”) implies discipline; cross-reference Proverbs 26:3. Verse 14’s da’at (“knowledge”) is stored by the wise, but a fool’s mouth brings mechittah (“ruin”). Verse 15’s hon ashir (“wealth of the rich”) as a qiryat oz (“fortified city”) contrasts with dalut (“poverty”) as ruin; theologically, this reflects temporal consequences, not divine favor; cf. Proverbs 18:11. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants noted.
Verse 16’s pe’ullah (“wage”) of the righteous yields chayyim (“life”), while tevu’ah (“gain”) of the wicked leads to chatta’t (“sin”); cross-reference Romans 6:23. Verse 17’s musar (“instruction”) and tochachat (“correction”) guide to life, with rejection causing ta’ah (“going astray”). Verse 18’s soneh (“hatred”) with sheqer (“lying”) lips parallels motzi dibbah (“spreads slander”) as folly. Verse 19’s rov devarim (“multitude of words”) risks pesha (“sin”), while restraining lips shows maskil (“prudence”). Verse 20’s ketsef nivchar (“choice silver”) for the righteous’s tongue contrasts the worthless lev resha’im (“heart of the wicked”). Verse 21’s “feed many” (ra’ah) suggests nourishing others with wisdom; chasar-lev (“lack of sense”) leads to death; cross-reference Proverbs 15:4. No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
Verse 22’s berakat YHWH (“blessing of the Lord”) brings wealth without etzev (“sorrow”), emphasizing divine provision; cross-reference Genesis 24:35. Verse 23’s zimmah (“wrong”) as sport (sechoq) to a fool contrasts with chokmah (“wisdom”) pleasing the ish tevunah (“discerning”). Verse 24’s megorat (“dread”) of the wicked versus ta’avat (“desire”) of the righteous highlights contrasting fates; cf. Psalm 37:4. Verse 25’s sa’ar (“storm”) sweeps away the wicked, while the righteous are yesod olam (“firm forever”); cross-reference Psalm 1:4–6. Verse 26’s chometz (“vinegar”) and ashan (“smoke”) illustrate the irritation of an atzel (“sluggard”); theologically, diligence reflects covenantal faithfulness. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants noted.
Verse 27’s yirat YHWH (“fear of the Lord”) extends yamin (“days”), while the wicked’s shanot (“years”) are qatzar (“shortened”); cross-reference Proverbs 9:11. Verse 28’s tochalat (“hope”) of the righteous yields joy, contrasted with tiqvat (“expectation”) of the wicked that avad (“perishes”); cf. Psalm 112:10. Verse 29’s derek YHWH (“way of the Lord”) is a ma’oz (“stronghold”) for the tom (“upright”), but mechittah (“ruin”) for evildoers. Verse 30’s “never be removed” (bal-yimmot) for the righteous contrasts with the wicked’s exclusion from the eretz (“land”); cross-reference Psalm 37:29. Verse 31’s nuv (“brings forth”) wisdom contrasts with the tahpukot (“perverse”) tongue being karat (“cut off”). Verse 32’s ratzon (“pleasing”) speech versus tahpukot (“perverse”) reinforces moral speech; theologically, this reflects covenantal righteousness; cf. Psalm 19:14. No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
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