Original Meaning
THE OPENING PROVERB of chapter 11 tells us that Yahweh hates dishonest scales; falseness links it with false speech in the verse before (10:32) and false assessment of self in 11:2. Again the wisdom theme says, consider the ends of the two ways. Wisdom and the wise are named at the start of the chapter (11:2) and at the end (11:29–30). Sayings about women appear in 11:16 and 22; directed to males, these proverbs about good and bad character in women look ahead to the finale of the book, the praise of the good wife in 31:10–31.
Following on the four proverbs about “the LORD” (yhwh) in 10:3, 22, 27, 29, Proverbs 11 has two. The proverbs of 11:1 and 20 are similar in vocabulary and theme, stating clearly what Yahweh abhors or detests (toʿebah) and what brings him delight (raṣon). While some believe that they mark an inclusio,1 the proposed outline here takes the Yahweh proverbs as the beginning of two larger sections. There is no clear outline to this chapter,2 yet similarities with neighboring proverbs suggest clusters of proverbs gathered around a theme.
Such outlines, of course, can at best point out some thematic clusters, though we must recognize that a few themes, such as perishing versus hope, appear in more than one cluster.3 We should also remember that relationships between proverbs go in so many directions. Therefore, teachers and preachers can identify clusters and choose either to select a smaller section for discussion or to draw together similar proverbs in a chapter or larger section that bridges two chapters. In my view, the Yahweh proverbs at 11:1 and 20 suggest the following outline:
Yahweh Detests Dishonest Scales (11:1–19)
Honesty, humility, and integrity (11:1–3)
Fates of righteous and wicked compared (11:4–8)
Right and wrong use of speech (11:9–14)
Wages and outcomes (11:15–19)
Yahweh Detests Perverse Hearts (11:20–31)
Desire and discretion (11:20–23)
Giving and receiving (11:24–28)
Gardens and houses (11:29–31)
The chapter opens and ends with the theme of just reward, which also runs throughout. Just as Yahweh hates dishonesty in the form of cheating weights (like the dishonest thumb on the grocery store scale), so both righteous and wicked receive their due on earth. What people give, they receive in turn, even as verse 1 emphasizes honesty and integrity in relationships. Other related themes that are woven through the chapter include proper use of wealth (11:4, 15, 18, 22, 24–29) and speech (11:9–14). Recurring images of rescue, escape, and safety appear as well.
Yahweh Detests Dishonest Scales (11:1–19)
11:1. THE FIRST THREE proverbs of chapter 11 hold up honesty, humility, and integrity. Verse 1 probably comments on 10:32 by means of the linking word raṣon, pointing to that which is appropriate or delightful.4 The link with 10:32 also yields a list of three forms of perverseness that contrast with the integrity of 11:3: false business practice, false assessment of self, and false use of the tongue. The negative rewards for such falseness are Yahweh’s displeasure, disapproval of one’s neighbors (shame), and destruction. Integrity guides and leads its bearer forward, while duplicity destroys and brings its bearer to an end.
The contrast between integrity and crookedness is also in 10:9. Ancient dealers sometimes kept two sets of weighing stones, one for buying and one for selling, as archaeologists have discovered (cf. Deut. 25:13–16; Amos 8:5). The practice, always condemned in Scripture, is here called (lit.) “an abomination to the LORD” (toʿebat yhwh; cf. Prov. 11:20).
11:2. Pride in the Old Testament is often different from our ideas of vanity and conceit (11:2). It points to the folly and arrogance of those who believe they can abuse others and not be brought to account. “See what they spew from their mouths—they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, ‘Who can hear us?’ But you, O LORD, laugh at them” (Ps. 59:7–8). Wisdom, its opposite, knows we have to give answer for our actions and therefore has a sense of boundaries.
11:3. This contrast in 11:3 is between guidance and destruction. It imagines roads filled with dangers or rushing white water rivers filled with treacherous rocks. One would be glad to have a guide in such situations, and integrity promises to be that companion. The duplicity (selep) of the unfaithful is twisted, just as a bribe twists the words of the righteous (Ex. 23:8; Deut. 16:19). The verbal form of this word appears in Proverbs 13:6: “Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.”
11:4. The next seven verses (11:4–10, except for v. 7) present variations on the word for righteousness (ṣedeqah) and its use in verse 4. Each verse describes either the bad consequences that come on the wicked, the rescue of the righteous, or both. There may be a chiasm; verses 6 and 8 seem to match regarding escape for the righteous, while verse 7 repeats the sad end of the wicked.
After three juxtapositions in 11:1–3 (truth versus falsity, humility versus pride, integrity versus duplicity), the parallelism of 11:4 is striking since it places the “profit” of wealth in opposition with the profit of righteousness (what “delivers from death”). The opposition is surprising, yet the proverb shows how people put their trust in one or the other. More than a simple “you can’t take it with you,”5 the point is rather that one can use wealth in a righteous way, but wealth in itself offers no security. Hosea chastised those who cheated in business and then trusted in their wealth (Hos. 12:6–8). On the positive side, one might think of Jesus’ parable of using wealth to make friends for eternity (Luke 16:1–15). Such creative use of money is an expression of righteousness. The vocabulary of the proverb reminds the reader of Proverbs 10:2: “Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.”
11:5. Verses 5–6 form a pair contrasting the fates of the righteous and the wicked, each beginning with the same word, “righteousness.” “Righteousness of the blameless” (11:5) repeats in reverse the same Hebrew roots used for “integrity of the upright” in 11:3 and repeats the image of the straight and safe way.
11:6. So also, the “desire” of 11:6 uses the same word as “craving” in 10:3 (hawwah), so we might better speak of “inordinate desire” (i.e., desire that knows no boundaries). There is some wordplay between 11:5 and 6; the same Hebrew root (yšr) is used with the righteousness that “makes straight” and the righteousness of “the upright.” The contrast in the two proverbs is clear; righteousness keeps its bearer safe and free while wickedness ensnares and destroys.
11:7. This proverb reflects on the experience of hope and rewards. Because the wicked have no desire for the enduring treasures of wisdom, their hopes and dreams die with them. The word for power can also refer to one’s wealth, connecting this verse with those that came before.6 The same Hebrew words for “hope perishes” and “expected” appear in 10:28 as “hope comes to nothing” and “prospect.”
11:8. Like 11:6, the proverb in 11:8 contrasts the rescue of the righteous with the trouble that “comes on the wicked instead.” Here, as in all the previous sayings, trouble is personified as a hunter that kills its prey, as the wicked often view themselves (cf. 1:10–12). The irony of the sages shows that the wicked bring their own trouble on themselves (cf. 1:18).
11:9. These next six proverbs are clustered around the theme of speech; all except verse 13 begins with the Hebrew letter bet. The first four are placed in a chiastic order according to key words: neighbor (11:9), wicked/city (11:10–11), neighbor (11:12).7 The last two contrast the time to keep a secret quiet (11:13) and a time to make good counsel public (11:14). Perhaps readers are meant to read 11:12–14 together as they develop the theme of helpful and damaging use of speech set out in 11:9. If we take 11:9–14 as a section, the theme of speech that destroys is viewed from a number of angles and set in contrast with a number of virtues.8
The first line of 11:9 introduces its own surprise, for it is not with physical violence that the godless person destroys a neighbor but with words. Most likely this refers to a bad report or some other form of slander, but what do the righteous escape “through knowledge”? Do they escape such hostility, or are they free of the need to speak in this way? The context of the preceding verses (11:5–8) suggests that the righteous are delivered from the troubles that ungodly behaviors bring on those who do them. We may not be protected from the verbal assaults of others, but we will be rescued from the backlash that uncontrolled speech brings on itself.
11:10. Verses 10–11 are linked by the catchword “city,” and they bring the series of righteous/wicked contrasts to a climax (the terms do not appear again until 11:18). “Joy” is the key to the contrast of 11:10; the city rejoices when the righteous do well (lit., “it is good”) and when the wicked perish (cf. 11:7). It sounds as if the proverb both affirms the system of just rewards stated in the previous verses and acknowledges that it is not always the way life works. The sounds of rejoicing may come when outcomes are fitting because too often they are not.
11:11. We now see why the city rejoices as stated in the previous verse: The life of the city is affected for better or worse by the character of its citizens. The blessing of the upright is most likely the good (ṭob) that their ways bring about in 11:10. The righteous not only bring good on themselves but on others. Here is good news that may even have an element of surprise, even while the contrast is obvious; the destructive talk of the wicked does widespread damage.
11:12. The words of the wicked destroy by deriding others or by breaking confidence; thus, 11:12–13 go together. The discerning and trustworthy person keeps silent on both counts. The word “neighbor” links 11:9 with 11:12, the latter adding that such behavior demonstrates (lit.) “lack of heart.” “Understanding,” like “knowledge,” helps one discern when it is right to remain silent; as a result this wisdom delivers a righteous person from trouble.
11:13. The first line of this proverb seems obvious—by definition, the gossip betrays confidences (cf. 20:19). But the term “gossip” is (lit.) “one who goes about,” trading in either merchandise (Ezek. 27:3–11) or slander (Lev. 19:16; Jer. 6:28; 9:4; Ezek. 22:9). Therefore, some intention of gain, either in material goods or in status, seems the motivation. This proverb certainly applies to personal relationships, but business practices are included as well. Bad reports can ruin both a person’s reputation and business.
11:14. As we saw in 11:10–11, the effects of speech are not only individual in scope but affect entire cities and even nations (11:14). The reference to “guidance” (taḥbulot) in this verse reminds the reader of the prologue (1:5). A negative picture of advice comes in 12:5: “The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.” The positive view is in 20:18: “Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance” (cf. 24:6). Wisdom promised to be such an adviser in 8:14. Just as negative words can tear persons and cities down, good counsel, the kind that wisdom offers, builds up and brings victory.
11:15. Verses 15–19 look at the topics of money and neighbors. In this collection of individual sayings, Proverbs contains three references to surety, that is, the practice of guaranteeing a loan, all of them against it (11:15; 17:18; 20:16). The warnings given in 22:26–27 are sober and funny at the same time; if you cannot pay, they will take your bed from under you! Is this a contradiction of the call to charity found throughout the sayings and instructions (14:21, 31; 17:5; 19:17; 22:22–23), or is it an example of doing the right thing at the right time? The surrounding verses suggest that both are true; it is better to give generously than make a pledge.9 Proverbs 11:14 speaks of foolish actions without wisdom and discernment, while 11:17 praises the man of ḥesed.10 “Another” in 11:15 uses the same Hebrew word as in the warning in 6:1 (zar, “stranger”), and we most likely have a recapitulation of that theme. Here, as there, the admonitions to neighbor love are qualified by this warning against surety.
11:16. Verse 16 not only stands out from its context, but the meaning of the vocabulary is difficult to determine. As the NIV translates, the kindheartedness of the woman wins her the favor of others while the ruthlessness or aggression of men wins wealth. By implication, the men gain no reputation, only material goods that will be lost at the end of life. The LXX has a fuller reading, which the NRSV incorporates as the original text: “A gracious woman gets honor, but she who hates virtue is covered with shame. The timid become destitute, but the aggressive gain riches.”
However, the pithy saying can be read as it stands in the Hebrew text if ḥen (“gracious”) is translated as “charm” (cf. 31:30) or “beauty.”11 In this reading, both beauty and violence are noted for the gain they bring, honor to the woman and wealth to the men. “Respect” (kabod) translates a term that can refer to wealth (Est. 5:11; Ps. 49:16), but in Proverbs, it typically refers to human honor (Prov. 3:35; 15:33; 18:12; 20:3; 25:27; 26:8; 29:23), the honor that Solomon did not request but was given (cf. 1 Kings 3:13). If this is the case, the saying is of a kind with Proverbs 11:22, setting beauty and character in contrast.
11:17. An argument in favor of reading 11:16 with the NIV is the similar parallel of a man of kindness (ḥesed) with the cruel one who harms (lit.) “his own flesh” (11:17). Kindness and cruelty done to others turn back on the doer, as the other verses of the chapter attest. So the worthy woman “brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life” (31:12). Conversely, one is not to do harm to one who has not dealt it to you (3:30).
11:18. The righteous/wicked contrast reappears, linked here with the contrast between “deceptive wages” and “sure reward.” If one of the characteristics of the wicked is deception, once again they, like the righteous, reap what they sow. There is a wordplay on the Hebrew for “deceptive” (šaqer) and “reward” (śeker). “Sure” translates ʾemet, completing the typical pair with ḥesed in 11:17, often translated “love and faithfulness” (cf. Ps. 25:10; 61:7; 85:11).
11:19. “Life” and “death” complete each line of 11:19, which contrasts a person of true righteousness and one who pursues evil. The first word (ken) can be translated as “true” or “sure,” but also as the simple particle “thus” or “so.” Some resolve the confusion by emending ken to tikkon (“to be firm or established”) to keep the contrast of steady leading with “frantic pursuit.”12 Again, the point is clear that immediate pursuits determine ultimate destinations.
Yahweh Detests Perverse Hearts (11:20–31)
11:20. A SMALL CLUSTER in these verses move from Yahweh’s reaction to human hearts and ways to the punishment and wrath that come on the wicked. Nestled in between is a startling proverb about the beautiful woman; just as it seems out of place in its context, the proverb talks about that which is not fitting.
Like the dishonest scales of 11:1, perverse hearts are (lit.) “an abomination to the LORD” (toʿebat yhwh), an abhorrence that provokes his disgust. Here the point of 11:1 is made without the metaphor of the scales and weights; the heart directs one’s way, and ways that are blameless or have integrity (tam; cf. 11:3) bring Yahweh delight (raṣon; cf. 11:1). In 11:1, the response was to actions; here it is to their intentions that motivate them. As is often the case in Proverbs, Yahweh’s direct intervention in human affairs is not portrayed, but readers are given a view of what brings him pleasure (cf. 12:2).
11:21. As is also true of Proverbs, outcomes and rewards are not attributed to Yahweh directly but only by implication, as the juxtaposition of 11:20–21 shows. This open-ended view of punishment can see just deserts come in everyday events, yet the second line of 11:21 can be read, “the offspring of the righteous will go free,” reminding the reader of Exodus 34:6–7 (cf. Num. 14:18). If this is the intent of the saying, the contrast is between sure punishment of the guilty and sure grace to the righteous. Again, such certainty is needed in a world in which the opposite appears to be the case. “Not go unpunished” throughout Proverbs covers the catalog of sins: adultery (6:29), wickedness (11:21), pride (16:5), mocking the poor (17:5), false witness (19:5, 9), and a hurry to get rich (28:20).
11:22. We must be careful to distinguish proverbs that are more direct or literal from those that are metaphorical. Thus, the metaphor in 11:22 may point to a truth already known and assimilated, or it may begin there and jolt us into new understanding.13 The proverb stands out against the background of its context just the way the beauty of a gold ring stands out against the background of an ugly snout. The picture of a beautiful ornament placed where it will be covered in mud and swill suggests that physical beauty without character is also not fitting, out of place. “Shows no discretion” is (lit.) “turns away from discernment”; the root meaning of the verb ṭʿm is “to taste” (as in “taste and see that the LORD is good,” Ps. 34:8). The meaning was extended to include “discernment,” as in Psalm 119:66: “Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.” Beauty and good judgment were both found in Abigail (1 Sam. 25:3, 33).
Proverbs 11:22 may be asking the wicked of 11:18, what is it you want? Gold? But is life only measured in terms of gold? And who would put a gold ring in a pig’s snout? No one, yet we isolate beauty from discretion all the time, just as we want riches without wisdom. Neither is fitting. “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” (31:30). Again, these sayings are directed to men but overheard by women. The saying is less a putdown of beautiful and foolish women than of men who might prefer them. If readers can agree that beauty without discretion is of no value, then they should equally agree that wealth without wisdom has no value.
11:23. This proverb seems to be a rejoinder to 11:7; the “desire” (tiqwah; cf. 11:7; 10:28) of the righteous for good is contrasted with “the hope of the wicked.” The terse phrasing of the Hebrew brings this out: “The desire of the righteous, only good; the hope of the wicked, wrath.” The righteous desiring good, receive good; the wicked, hoping for gain, receive their own destruction in return. In this way, the hope or expectation of the wicked dies with them. This verse makes the connection of the verses in 11:20–23 clear, pitting good desires against wicked hope.
11:24. The proverbs of 11:24–28 form another series that seems to gather around the theme of how one handles desire and wealth. Hebrew participles dominate, translated as “one who does xxx,” placing emphasis on actions as a sign of character. Verses 25–27 deal specifically with generosity.
Generosity is encouraged by comparing outcomes once again (11:24). The contrast is made between one who scatters freely (Ps. 112:9) and one who not only fails to give generously but withholds what is due to another—most likely in wages or payment of debt. Literally, that one withholds what is upright (yšr), repeating the term from Proverbs 11:3, 5, 6, 11. This theme of generosity versus withholding runs throughout this section (cf. Deut. 15:1–11).
11:25. Expounding the theme of 11:24, the proverb in 11:25 does not contrast outcomes but uses both lines to highlight the blessings of the righteous. The generous man is literally a “person of blessing” (nepeš berakah; cf. “blessing” in 11:11 and 10:6–7, 22), who “becomes fat.”14 “Refreshment” is a term associated with water and giving drink. The one who nurtures others will be nurtured in turn.
11:26. “Blessings on the head of the one who sells grain” (lit. trans. of 11:26) repeats “blessings” (berakah) from the previous verse (cf. 10:6–7). Its contrast is again withholding, this time the holding back of grain that would help others who are hungry, presumably for profit via price gouging. Blessings and curses point to public opinion. While the honor that comes from others is not the primary motivation for doing good, it is not discounted. The wise Joseph stored grain, but he did so to save the people.
11:27. Continuing the themes of public favor and rewards, 11:27 compares two seekers: one who seeks good and finds goodwill, the other who pursues evil for others only to have it “come to him.” The goodwill or favor may be that of Yahweh (raṣon; cf. “delight” in 11:1, 20) or public approval (“what is fitting,” 10:32). Again, such favor only comes as a benefit of seeking good; seeking the favor for its own sake without the good tempts one to present false appearances.
11:28. The term “righteous” reappears in 11:28, comparing such persons to a flourishing green leaf (cf. Ps. 1:3), a treasured thing in arid Palestine. No positive action is mentioned as in the previous sayings, only the negatively charged “whoever trust in his riches.” A false sense of security in what one owns motivates the evil behaviors of withholding charity, withholding in speculation, and active pursuit of evil. If anyone believes that one’s holdings are one’s strength, then anything is justified. Sadly, the one who turns that belief into action falls dead like a dried-up leaf. Positive images of trees appear again in Proverbs 11:30.
11:29. The metaphors of comparison now center on the household. To “trouble the house” (lit. trans. of 11:29a) is to act in ways that bring harm on those closest to us. The reader thinks of the foolish son who does not care for the family (10:1, 5) but also Achar (1 Chron. 2:7). Thus, the negative recompense for evil even extends to one’s family. Instead of inheriting family wealth, this sort of person inherits only wind, perhaps because it has been squandered in folly. This sort of fool will never be the head of the house but rather a servant in it, the thought that was in the mind of the prodigal son as he returned home (Luke 15:19, 21). Proverbs about the fool who serves the wise will appear again (e.g., Prov. 14:19; 17:2).
11:30. What appears to be a straightforward comparison (11:30) is actually an unresolved conundrum in biblical studies. The first line is clear enough in comparing a righteous person to a sturdy well-watered tree with good fruit (Ps. 1:3; 92:12; Isa. 58:11; Jer. 17:5–8); the fruit of the righteous is like the tree of life (with possible allusion to the tree of life in Gen. 2:9; 3:22–24).15 As is the case in all the “tree of life” sayings in Proverbs, the fruit is not forbidden but offered to sustain and nourish life (Prov. 3:18; 13:12; 15:4). Not only do the righteous thrive like green leaves (11:28), they bear fruit that feeds others.
The second line of 11:30 is not so easy to read, for the Hebrew loqeaḥ nepašot (“to take lives”) usually means “to kill.” Yet if the writer meant “kill,” we are surprised to find a “wise” one as the subject of the verb.16 Instead, we could translate leqaḥ as like the American idiom, “I get what you mean,” and read, “One who comprehends souls is wise.” The saying then corresponds to 1:3, which can be translated either “to receive instruction” or to “comprehend instruction.”17
The metaphor of tree and its fruit recommends the translation, “and the wise gathers life/lives.” To gather lives like fruit then denotes the wise one who plucks people from the power of death. The closeness of the Hebrew to the phrase “takes life” may be intentionally ironic, for this is action that gives life instead.18 As in chapter 10, we have here an encouragement to become wise in order to save not only one’s own life/soul (nepeš) but also the lives of others (10:11, 21, 31; cf. 24:11). In sum, while the Hebrew text is difficult, that in itself does not provide sufficient reason to emend; the wise promote life, they do not take it away.
11:31. The final saying of chapter 11 also presents a number of difficulties. It appears to be a summary of all that has gone before in the chapter, affirming that the righteous do receive their reward in full (the verb form yešallam, “receive their due,” is related to the root of šalom, “peace”), and the verb does double duty in the second line for the wicked. “On earth” is best read not as the here and now as opposed to the afterlife but as modifying righteous, “the righteous on the earth are rewarded in full.” While some interpreters suggest that both the righteous and wicked are rewarded for their misdeeds,19 in Proverbs the righteous are always rewarded for their good deeds and evildoers for their misdeeds (6:31; 13:13, 21; 19:17; 25:22).
Perhaps 11:31 speaks to readers who are inclined to doubt the latter (if not both). We may be somewhat convinced that righteousness pays its rewards, but too often we see the wicked going free and start to wonder. Job himself had such doubts (Job 21:19, 29–34; 34:9), and the psalmist seeks to bring assurance to those who have them as well (see Ps. 37:21). Therefore, while certainty in translation is out of reach, it seems clear enough that a straightforward statement of just rewards both summarizes the theme of the chapter and lends its assurance that Yahweh hates perversity and loves righteousness; therefore, rewards will be forthcoming (cf. Prov. 11:21).
Bridging Contexts
AS WE OBSERVED in chapter 10, the collection of independent sayings in chapters 10–22 is assembled in a way that invites the reader to look for relationships between them. Careful reading attends to clusters of proverbs gathered about a common theme as well as recurring key words and images that are woven throughout. Sometimes structures appear to link the parts together; sometimes a single outstanding metaphor will cause the reader to slow down, linger, and reflect.
Rewards. Proverbs that name “the LORD” (yhwh) provide the theological underpinning for the emphases that emerge. Wit and wisdom are required of the reader to pull out similar verses on a theme and show how they speak to each other, a sort of proto-midrash that shows skill in bringing texts together. The final rewards that come to the righteous and the wicked occupy center stage in chapters 10–15, and so readers must watch how successive proverbs add to the composite picture being assembled. Chapter 11 continues the series of contrasts begun in chapter 10, restating and enriching our understanding of the proper use of words and wealth, even as it includes two surprising proverbs on the beautiful woman.
In this chapter, the picture of persons who bring harm and ruin wherever they go is filled in with more details of the harm that comes back on them: They lose the wealth they so eagerly grasped, they lose honor in the eyes of the community, and finally they lose all hopes and expectations. The last four verses alternate images of fruit-bearing trees and failed inheritances, lush gardens, and scorching winds (11:28–31). Both the righteous and wicked are surprised: the righteous, because in seeking the good of others, they are themselves blessed; the wicked, because what they grasp so tenaciously is pried out of their hands.
Most likely, this flash forward to ends and outcomes is as much encouragement to the faithful as it is a warning to the learner, for it is this matter of just rewards that people of all ages have found hard to believe. The sages show their skill by assembling vignettes of life that demonstrate just how many experiences of life do confirm their claim. Observe, they say, how people praise the generous and curse the greedy, see how their deeds eventually catch up with them, and remember that Yahweh watches; he knows whether a weight stone or a heart is true.
Both the righteous and the wicked are inclined to doubt that goodness brings its own rewards and that there will be a final accounting for sin. That doubt leads some to greater sin, while others are tempted to despair. A cynical attitude can develop, as typified in the saying, “Only the good die young.” As a reply, these proverbs say, look at how pride is followed by disgrace (11:2), how duplicity is discovered (11:3), and how money saves no one’s life in the end (11:4). The signs are around us if we will look for them. Proverbs train the eyes to see.
The New Testament writers had their eyes trained by the Proverbs. Verse 30 and its image of gathering fruit reminds us of Paul’s desire to gather some fruit among the Gentiles (Rom. 1:13) and Jesus’ words about the harvest (John 4:36),20 instructing us to value human lives over riches. Proverbs 11:31 is cited in 1 Peter 4:18 following the LXX’s reading. Urging his hearers to undergo suffering for good deeds, the writer asks, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
These writers knew that the rewards of wisdom do not eliminate suffering and disappointment, but they also knew that they had found a way to avoid the kind of trouble that boomerangs back to the one who causes it. They also knew that the difference between these two ways rests in an understanding of God’s ways in the world, that it does make a difference whether one knows the fear of Yahweh or not. Those who have it seek to win his favor, not their own pleasures (11:1, 20). Bringing delight to God can become a primary motivation for seeking the good works of wisdom.
On words. The two most prominent works of wisdom in Proverbs 11 are the use of words and the use of wealth; in short, these proverbs are concerned about how we spend or save our currency in both. The cluster of proverbs on speaking in 11:9–14 adds to the insights collected in chapter 10. Lips of righteousness know what is fitting and nourish many (10:21, 32), and so good counsel also benefits the people (11:14). Lies, slander, and perverse speech do great damage (10:19, 31–32), as do godless corruption, derision, and gossip (11:9, 11–13). For this reason silence is itself a form of kindness that demonstrates knowledge and understanding (11:9, 12–13). This emphasis on self-control in speaking, this holding back from the sort of active evil that seeks the harm of neighbor, stands out in this cluster as an expansion of 10:19: “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”
Certainly the referent in these proverbs is the matter of reputation, and for that reason our stated opinions of others must be fair. Moreover, even when fairness warrants a negative judgment on a person, wisdom recommends withholding the bad report. It is the person lacking judgment who derides a neighbor (11:12); this proverb does not state whether that derision is fair, only that the person who speaks it understands little. We know enough of life to recognize that our knowledge of others is always partial at best and that we do not often know what the reasons and motivations behind the behavior of others may be. Therefore, it is best to reserve public comment and bring the matter before the neighbor in private.
Likewise, withholding words that preserve a confidence is a mark of loyalty to a friend, who has entrusted a part of himself or herself to another (11:13). Secrecy, says David F. Ford, has received a bad name because it is often associated with crimes and misdemeanors. “That is mainly because it is such a powerful and pervasive feature of life and is, therefore, like money or sex or communication skills, a prime target for corruption and manipulation.”21 However, the secrets of intimacy kept safe are gifts of discernment, bonds of trust that handle our knowledge of others with great care.
In ancient Israel, personal and business relationships were probably even more intertwined than is the case for us today. To slander a neighbor would most likely also ruin that neighbor’s business reputation and standing in the community. Our networks of business and personal relationships may or may not overlap the way they did then, but the concern in Proverbs for preserving reputations applies to both. Therefore, the proverbs may be speaking directly to the economic issues involved in maintaining good relations, but there is also a sense in which the spending of words is symbolic of how we hold what others have placed in our trust. In this set of proverbs, withholding those words, perhaps for a time, perhaps forever, is a mark of wisdom, self-control, and friendship.
On wealth. The exact opposite is true of withholding wealth (see 11:24–29). The theme also appears in 11:4, where righteousness is worth more than wealth (cf. 10:2, 16). Riches by themselves will not pay the dues of character or save one from wrath. Generous giving, scattering like seed, yields a great crop; it is like the drink offered to others that will be returned (11:25). Business practices are included in such generosity. For example, it may be more profitable to withhold grain from sale until the price goes up, but the one who sells food at a fair price during a time of need has that blessing returned (11:26).
At root is one’s attitude toward possessions. Trust in them, and you will learn how little they really can do for you (11:28). Hold them above relationships with family and friends, and you will learn what it means to lose both (11:29). The sages believed that the pursuit of wealth for its own sake had the dangerous tendency to push its seekers toward evil, not caring what means were used to obtain wealth. In their view, to seek evil was eventually to have it come upon oneself. In other words, the sages knew that the spiritual power of wealth was so great that those who believed they were in pursuit of wealth might find themselves pursuing evil in a tragic bait and switch.22
The twin concerns of speech and wealth tell us that one can spend bad words (11:9, 12, 13), hoard material goods (11:24, 26), and, in so doing, inherit the wind (11:29). But these proverbs also speak again and again of life, both in terms of individual lives lived to the full and as communal life lived in šalom. This šalom marks the reverse of folly’s greedy economy; here neighbors hold back destructive words and share material blessing. When we are at our best, say the sages, the economy of wisdom prevails.
This idea of righteous spending develops the concerns of chapter 10 for wealth used for the sake of others and for speech that builds up and nourishes others through encouragement and teaching. Believers can model this economy in which one is enriched and refreshed, not by acquiring or hoarding but by giving. This is the wisdom that finds its place in Jesus’ teaching: “Give, 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 to you” (Luke 6:38; cf. Mark 4:24–25).
Startling images. Like the surprising proverb about vinegar and smoke in 10:26, Proverbs 11 has its startling images as well. The swine snout trimmed in gold stops readers in their tracks, making them laugh and ponder all that is being said with one ridiculous picture (11:22). The juxtaposition of beauty and ugliness also points to the clash of social expectations, for gold rings are found in fine homes, not in pigpens!
The placement of that proverb has something of the quality of a riddle, inviting readers to find the connection with the rest of the chapter. The first link appears to reach to the other proverb about a woman in 11:16, “A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.” As we have seen, “kindhearted” (ḥen) can also be translated as “charm” (cf. 31:30) or “beauty,” and the woman who has this quality gains “glory.” Whatever the translation of the first line, the second is clear in its depiction of a ruthless grasp at wealth. The proverb may contrast kindhearted grace with such greed, or it may suggest that a woman of charming appearance grasps at glory for herself. If the latter, she would be like the woman who has beauty but no discretion. The contrast between beautiful appearance and good character is then like the contrast between the righteous and wicked. Character is more valuable than appearances (gold, beauty), at least to those who have let wisdom shape their deepest desires.
A similar comparison may connect this decorated hog with the tree of life in 11:30. The contrast between wealth that will not deliver in time of need and the righteousness that will (11:4, 16, 18, 28) is also important to 3:13–18. In that text, wisdom herself is worth more than silver and her profit is better than gold; she is the tree of life for those who hold her fast. So here in chapter 11 readers find a connection with the earlier theme of choosing wisdom as a life partner, seeking and valuing her over any misdirected pursuit of wealth and gain. If a man wants a woman simply for her beauty as an ornament to his life, he may learn that beauty is not enough. Here is more than a warning to women who live for appearances, for it confronts foolish men who do the same. Proverbs 3 reminds readers of the crucial choices before all of us: What do we love, wisdom or wealth? Appearances or substance? Seek “good sense” (11:22 NEB), not only for yourself but also in one you choose for a life partner.
In sum, the proverbs of chapter 11 take the basic contrast between wickedness and righteousness and use it to describe the way we handle our possessions and our words. Images make their points as well. The gold ring on a pig’s nose adds a dose of humor to the matter of choosing what is fitting and appropriate, while the tree of life points to final outcomes. The first is a symbol of folly, the second of wisdom. The wise person, careful with comments and generous with possessions, uses both to build up and nurture others. Integrity that delights Yahweh and generosity that comes back to the giver point to those whose deeds and words bring the riches of wisdom to the community.
Preachers and teachers may wish to focus on one of the clusters concerning speech or wealth, or they may choose to use the pig’s snout as a vivid picture of folly. Great care is required in speaking about the women of proverbs, for the assumptions these sayings speak against are still widespread in our own day; many in our churches believe that women need looks and men need money if they are to be attractive to one another. We might point out that folly can also appear as a handsome male or a wealthy woman. Whatever illustrations we choose, we must be careful to hold back words that will hurt and show that folly can take any number of poses. Certainly the first proverb about accurate scales can guide our teaching. Its metaphor of character in the balance offers a lens to examine all that follows and presents a number of strategies for communicating these sketches of righteousness and wickedness.
Contemporary Significance
PERSONAL DESIRES AND OUTCOMES. How do we find the areas of life addressed by the theological and ethical principles we have discerned? Although any statement of a main theme is bound to leave out important details, we can begin with a look at the theme of desires and outcomes. “He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it” (11:27). Daily we are given countless opportunities to seek good instead of evil. The key is the way we “spend” our goods and our words. Withholding bad words is every bit as wise as selling good grain. Both actions rebuild the šalom ravaged by the evil deeds depicted in this chapter. In “seeking good” we are also seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness, confident that all that we need will be given us as well (Matt. 6:25–34).
Let’s face it. Too often we do worry over what we will eat and drink, what we will wear, and if we are honest, what these provisions say about our status when compared with others. We worry about what others will say about us. Rock bottom, we do believe that possessions and other forms of notoriety are positive signs of character, for they show that one is clever, assertive, and persistent—traits we favor. We may run after signs of status and success (how many members at that church?), hoping others will speak well of us; as a result, they become as valuable as nose rings for hogs.
It is a sad fact of life that too often, important choices are based on shiny appearances that may not reveal the true contents of the package. A short-lived media event was entitled Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire? Setting aside all pretense of any other motivations, a rich man was invited to choose from a group of beautiful women, all before the eyes of a television audience. Here were two people who really did not know much about each other except that the man had possessions and the woman had beauty. It was no surprise that the marriage did not last more than a few weeks, nor was anyone surprised to see the couple attempt to capitalize on their new found fame. Just as gold on a pig looks ridiculous, so beauty and wealth lose their appeal when they are not accompanied by the characteristics of wisdom.
Character pleasing to the Lord. The reversals of these proverbs and Jesus’ teaching point out those acquisitions of character that are pleasing to the Lord, characteristics in which he delights. These proverbs continue to remind readers of God’s presence and blessing in everyday life (cf. 10:3, 22, 27, 29), placing special emphasis on a God who delights in honest and fair dealing. Just as we are often both surprised and delighted when we encounter acts of honesty and integrity in others, so these proverbs remind us that these actions, however small and insignificant, bring joy to the One who created us for good works (Eph. 2:10).
I once spent a Christmas with some friends and their two children. As the presents were opened, my friends’ eight-year-old daughter looked disappointed. She had received the gift of collectible stickers both kids had asked for, but they were stickers she already owned. “That’s OK,” her younger brother chimed, “I don’t have those yet, and you don’t have the ones I got. Let’s trade!” The parents were delighted by the spontaneous show of thoughtfulness. So it is that acts of honest dealing, charitable giving, and genuine concern for the good of others pleases Yahweh in ways we can only begin to understand.
Straight dealing and generosity. Honest weights and blameless ways (11:1, 20) point us toward straight dealing and generosity. Straight dealing in speech should replace slander and gossip with silence, perhaps coupled with honest confrontation as Jesus presented in Matthew 18:15–18. Straight dealing with one’s goods means making friends with wealth as Jesus taught in Luke 16. But here the idea common to both is looking out for the good of the neighbor and in so doing, seeking a good end. In an upside down gospel way, these proverbs show us that seeking the good of others is seeking good for ourselves (Prov. 11:27).
Generosity in speech does more than withhold harmful words, it also offers a gracious ear of listening, to hear those things kept secret for too long and offers a word of acceptance and forgiveness. A friend once said to me, “If we are to grow in our friendship, there are some things you need to know about me that I’m not proud of.” After he shared his secrets, I thought it a privilege to be trusted in this way and thanked him for his honesty and openness. In the years that followed, I saw how that honesty encouraged me to share secrets of my own, confessing wrongs I had done and temptations I faced. My friend kept those secrets and continued to earn my admiration.
Many keep secrets out of pride or shame, however, and the results are devastating. In the English movie Secrets and Lies, a family is nearly torn apart by hiding from one another those things they think are unacceptable. A woman of color decides to find the birth mother she has never met, but that mother, a single white woman, has never told her other daughter or her brother about the birth and adoption. The brother has a wife who looks down on her sister-in-law for her past mistakes, but she also grieves that they cannot have children of their own. She swears her husband to secrecy, so her sister-in-law believes she is a selfish wife who doesn’t want the sacrifices that come with having children. Mother and daughter meet and become close friends. When the mother invites her newly found daughter to a family barbecue, feelings explode, hidden thoughts and hurts are finally revealed, and the normally withdrawn brother finally lets loose, shouting “These secrets and lies are killing us!” The man, his wife, and his sister then begin the first steps toward reconciliation.
Generosity in speech also insists that the truth be spoken about others, correcting false reports when necessary. Born and raised in New Jersey, I once noticed a title in a bookstore, The Ramapo Mountain People. I knew the Ramapo area of my home state but had never heard of the mountain people, so I got the book and learned that they are a group of mixed ethnicity who live in the northern rural communities. Until the publication of the book, oral tradition and written reports told a story that brought together Hessians from the revolutionary war, prostitutes who had followed them over from England, black slaves, and Indians. In the course of his research, the author discovered that these people were actually the descendants of freed slaves who had become landowners and leaders in their community.
The writer also said that he had no intention of making a social statement when he began his study, but after it had been publicized in newspapers and television, a young woman of the community asked him to speak to a class in black history. She had been assigned reading that made reference to the legends about her own people. When the writer spoke and the true story was told, he said she beamed with pride. For this young woman, telling the truth about her heritage was a way of speaking rightly.23
Generosity with means is obvious enough, or at least it should be, for opportunities abound. This chapter offers us a reminder that “it is in giving that we receive.” One way to counteract the power of wealth is to practice liberal, prodigal giving, giving when it does not make sense, when it does not fit the budget. John the Baptist not only told government employees to stop taking what was not theirs, he told all those who had two coats and food to share freely (Luke 3:7–14). Such acts of generosity demonstrate our trust in the One who holds the future in his hands, a trust that answers our fears and worries.
Perhaps the difference between stealing and hoarding is not as great as we might think. One takes what does not belong to us, the other keeps what could belong to others. Our denominational magazine put out an issue that told the stories of persons who asked how God could use their lives to serve and bless others. Some became pastors in churches that served their communities, building schools and starting after-school programs. One mother affirmed her daughter’s desire to work with the “Mission Year” program, living, working, and ministering in the city of Oakland. She spoke of her fears but also of her realization that she was being called to give what was most dear to her: “It was fine for someone else’s child to risk the dangers and unknowns of the inner city for a year. But I preferred my firstborn stay in a more sheltered, gentler environment.” This mother wrote about her fears to encourage other parents who might have the same feelings, quoting her daughter: “The safest place to be is in the will of God.”24
Choices for good. Proverbs 11:1–3 brought together the problems of dishonesty, arrogance, and duplicity, recommending that they be countered with truthfulness, humility, and integrity. The contrasts of the proverbs may leave the impression that people are either one or the other, and the sages did recognize that there are some who give themselves to evil. However, they knew what we know from experience, that no one is completely righteous or completely evil. Yet they would teach us the choices we face every day, some of them very complicated, typically present themselves as choices between one or the other. Those choices set us on a trajectory toward good or trouble. Knowing that each receives its own rewards, these wise ones expect that we who read the deposit they passed down to us will bear fruit of righteousness, seeds of which will grow into the tree of life, to become one of those wise ones who will nourish and save lives.
In sum, these proverbs do not merely ask us to make changes in our habits of speaking and giving, they call us to look at our lives through the eyes of our neighbors, seeing the value of our lives in what they bring to others. Let the choices we make in our lives be blessed in a way that lifts up the city (or village, town, or suburb) instead of bringing it down (11:11).
In doing so, we can make it a practice to constantly evaluate our desires. What do we want from life? What do we consider most important, and what desires are secondary? Wealth in Proverbs is only a problem when it becomes a primary goal that replaces neighbor love. Wisdom teaches us to develop a holy freedom, one that allows us to keep a loose grip on our belongings and a generous embrace of those around us.