Veritable King James Version
1A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.
2When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
3The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
4Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
5The righteousness of the blameless keeps their way straight, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
6The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are trapped by their own greed.
7When the wicked die, their hope perishes, and the expectation of wealth comes to nothing.
8The righteous are rescued from trouble, while the wicked fall into it instead.
9With their mouth the godless destroy their neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are delivered.
10When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
11By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.
12Whoever belittles their neighbor lacks sense, but a person of understanding remains silent.
13A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
14Without guidance, a people falls, but with many counselors there is safety.
15Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but one who avoids pledges is secure.
16A gracious woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17A kind person benefits themselves, but a cruel person brings trouble on themselves.
18The wicked earn deceptive wages, but those who sow righteousness reap a true reward.
19True righteousness leads to life, but pursuing evil leads to death.
20The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord, but the blameless in their ways are His delight.
21Though hand join in hand, the wicked will not go unpunished, but the seed of the righteous will be delivered.
22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.
23The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked in wrath.
24One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
26People curse the one who hoards grain, but they bless the one who sells it freely.
27Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it.
28Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.
29Whoever troubles their own household will inherit the wind, but the fool becomes a servant to the wise.
30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever wins souls is wise.
31If the righteous are repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner! Proverbs 12 The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 12 – VKJV
Translation notes
In verse 1, mo’zne remiyah (“false balance”) denotes deceptive trade practices, condemned as an “abomination” (to’evah), a strong term for divine disgust; “just weight” (even shelemah) reflects fairness, pleasing God (cf. Leviticus 19:36). Verse 2’s “pride” (zadon) implies arrogance, leading to “disgrace” (qalon), while “humble” (tsanu’im) aligns with wisdom’s teachability; cross-reference Proverbs 3:34. Verse 3’s “integrity” (tummah) of the “upright” (yesharim) contrasts with “crookedness” (selaph) of the “treacherous” (bogedim), emphasizing moral guidance versus self-destruction; cf. Psalm 25:21. Verse 4’s “day of wrath” (yom evrah) suggests divine judgment, where “riches” (hon) fail, but “righteousness” (tzedaqah) saves, echoing Ezekiel 7:19. Theologically, these verses underscore God’s justice and the superiority of moral integrity over material wealth. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants (e.g., 4Q102) alter this section, affirming Masoretic Text reliability.
Verse 5’s “blameless” (tamim) and “righteousness” (tzedaqah) ensure a “straight” (yashar) path, contrasting the self-inflicted fall of the “wicked” (rasha); cross-reference Psalm 1:6. In verse 6, “treacherous” (bogedim) are ensnared by “greed” (havat, lit. “desire” or “lust”), while “upright” are saved by righteousness; cf. Proverbs 10:2. Verse 7’s “hope perishes” reflects the futility of the wicked’s “expectation” (tochalah), often tied to “wealth” (aven, lit. “iniquity” or its gains); cross-reference Job 8:13. Verse 8’s “rescued from trouble” (chalatz) for the righteous contrasts the wicked’s entrapment, reinforcing divine justice; cf. Proverbs 12:13. Theologically, these verses highlight the protective power of righteousness versus the self-destructive nature of sin. No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
In verse 9, “godless” (chaneph) implies moral corruption, with their “mouth” as a tool of harm, contrasted with “knowledge” (da’at) saving the righteous; cross-reference Proverbs 15:4. Verse 10’s “city rejoices” reflects communal benefit from the righteous’ success, with “shouting” (rinnah) at the wicked’s demise, suggesting relief; cf. Proverbs 29:2. Verse 11’s “blessing” (berakah) of the upright elevates a community, while the wicked’s “mouth” destroys, echoing verse 9; cross-reference Proverbs 14:34. In verse 12, “belittles” (baz) denotes contempt, and “lacks sense” (chasar lev, lit. “lacking heart”) contrasts with the prudent silence of the wise; cf. Proverbs 17:27. Theologically, these verses emphasize the social impact of righteousness versus destructive speech. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants noted.
Verse 13’s “gossip” (rakil) implies talebearing, betraying “confidence” (sod), while “trustworthy” (ne’eman) denotes fidelity; cross-reference Proverbs 20:19. In verse 14, “guidance” (tachbulot) suggests wise leadership, preventing a “people” (am) from falling, with “counselors” (yo’etzim) ensuring “safety” (teshu’ah); cf. Proverbs 15:22. Verse 15’s “security for a stranger” (arab) warns against financial entanglement, with “suffer” (ra’) contrasting the “secure” (batach) who avoid such risks; cross-reference Proverbs 6:1–5. In verse 16, “gracious woman” (eshet chen) earns “honor” (kavod), while “ruthless men” (aritzim) gain fleeting “wealth” (osher); theologically, this contrasts enduring virtue with temporary gain; cf. Proverbs 31:30. No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
Verse 17’s “kind person” (ish chesed) benefits through their own goodness, while “cruel” (achzari) self-destructs; cross-reference Proverbs 14:22. In verse 18, “deceptive wages” (pe’ullat sheqer) of the wicked contrast with the “true reward” (sachar emet) of the righteous; cf. Psalm 19:11. Verse 19’s “true righteousness” (tzedaqah) leads to “life” (chayyim), while “pursuing evil” (rodeph ra’ah) brings “death” (mavet), reinforcing moral consequences; cross-reference Proverbs 10:16. Verse 20 echoes verse 1, with “perverse in heart” (iqqesh lev) as an “abomination” (to’evah) and “blameless” (temime derek) as God’s “delight” (ratzon); cf. Psalm 5:4. Theologically, these verses affirm God’s favor toward righteousness and judgment against perversity. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants noted.
Verse 21’s “hand join in hand” is an idiom for conspiracy, yet the “wicked” (ra’im) face punishment, while the “seed of the righteous” (zera tzadikim) denotes their legacy or offspring, delivered; cross-reference Psalm 37:25–26. In verse 22, “discretion” (ta’am, lit. “taste” or “judgment”) contrasts beauty wasted by folly, with the vivid metaphor of a “pig’s snout”; cf. Proverbs 31:30. Verse 23’s “desire” (ta’avah) of the righteous yields “good” (tov), while the wicked’s “hope” (tiqvah) ends in “wrath” (evrah); cross-reference Proverbs 10:28. In verse 24, “gives freely” (mezareh, lit. “scatters”) suggests generosity, paradoxically increasing wealth, while “withholds unduly” leads to “poverty” (machsor); cf. Proverbs 19:17. Theologically, these verses highlight divine justice and the value of discretion and generosity. No notable Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section.
Verse 25’s “generous person” (nephesh berakah, lit. “soul of blessing”) prospers, with “refreshes” (marveh) implying provision, reciprocated by divine blessing; cross-reference 2 Corinthians 9:6. In verse 26, “hoards grain” (mone’a bar) reflects greed during scarcity, earning curses, while “sells freely” (shover) gains communal blessing; cf. Proverbs 22:9. Verse 27’s “seeks good” (shachar tov) contrasts pursuing “evil” (ra’ah), with “favor” (ratzon) as divine approval; cross-reference Galatians 6:7. Verse 28’s “riches” (osher) lead to a fall, while the “righteous” flourish like “green leaves” (aleh ra’anan), symbolizing vitality; cf. Psalm 1:3. Theologically, generosity and righteousness yield divine and communal favor, contrasting greed’s downfall. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants noted.
In verse 29, “troubles their own household” (okher bayto) suggests familial discord, leading to “inherit the wind” (nachal ruach), a metaphor for futility; the “fool” (evil) serves the “wise” (chakam); cross-reference Proverbs 14:19. Verse 30’s “tree of life” (etz chayyim) symbolizes the life-giving impact of the righteous, with “wins souls” (loqeach nefashot) implying guiding others to wisdom; cf. Proverbs 3:18. Verse 31’s “repaid on earth” (gamal ba’aretz) suggests temporal consequences, amplified for the “wicked and sinner” (rasha v’chote); cross-reference 1 Peter 4:18. Theologically, these verses affirm the enduring impact of righteousness versus the futility of folly and sin. No significant Dead Sea Scrolls variants affect this section, affirming Masoretic Text stability.
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