The fruitage of the righteous one is a tree of life, and he that is winning souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30)

5 min readSep 12, 2024

Proverbs chapter 11:

“A cheating pair of scales is something detestable to Jehovah, but a complete stone-weight is a pleasure to him.

2 Has presumptuousness come? Then dishonor will come; but wisdom is with the modest ones.

3 The integrity of the upright ones is what leads them, but distortion by those dealing treacherously will despoil them.

4 Valuable things will be of no benefit on the day of fury, but righteousness itself will deliver from death.

5 The righteousness of the blameless one is what will make his way straight, but in his own wickedness the wicked one will fall. 6 The righteousness of the upright ones is what will deliver them, but by their craving those dealing treacherously will themselves be caught.

7 When a wicked man dies, [his] hope perishes; and even expectation [based] on powerfulness has perished.

8 The righteous is the one rescued even from distress, and the wicked one comes in instead of him.

9 By [his] mouth the one who is an apostate brings his fellowman to ruin, but by knowledge are the righteous rescued.

10 Because of the goodness of the righteous ones a town is elated, but when the wicked ones perish there is a joyful cry.

11 Because of the blessing of the upright ones a town is exalted, but because of the mouth of the wicked ones it gets torn down.

12 The one in want of heart has despised his own fellowman, but the man of broad discernment is one that keeps silent.

13 The one walking about as a slanderer is uncovering confidential talk, but the one faithful in spirit is covering over a matter.

14 When there is no skillful direction, the people fall; but there is salvation in the multitude of counselors.

15 One will positively fare badly because he has gone surety for a stranger, but the one hating handshaking is keeping carefree.

16 A woman of charm is the one that takes hold of glory; but the tyrants, for their part, take hold of riches.

17 A man of loving-kindness is dealing rewardingly with his own soul, but the cruel person is bringing ostracism upon his own organism.

18 The wicked one is making false wages, but the one sowing righteousness, true earnings.

19 The one firmly standing for righteousness is in line for life, but the one chasing after what is bad is in line for his own death.

20 Those crooked at heart are something detestable to Jehovah, but the ones blameless in [their] way are a pleasure to him.

21 Though hand be to hand, a bad person will not go unpunished; but the offspring of the righteous ones will certainly escape.

22 As a gold nose ring in the snout of a pig, so is a woman that is pretty but that is turning away from sensibleness.

23 The desire of the righteous ones is surely good; the hope of the wicked ones is fury.

24 There exists the one that is scattering and yet is being increased; also the one that is keeping back from what is right, but it results only in want.

25 The generous soul will itself be made fat, and the one freely watering [others] will himself also be freely watered.

26 The one holding back grain — the populace will execrate him, but there is a blessing for the head of the one letting it be bought.

27 He that is looking for good will keep seeking goodwill; but as for the one searching for bad, it will come upon him.

28 The one trusting in his riches — he himself will fall; but just like foliage the righteous ones will flourish.

29 As for anyone bringing ostracism upon his own house, he will take possession of wind; and a foolish person will be a servant to the one wise in heart.

30 The fruitage of the righteous one is a tree of life, and he that is winning souls is wise.

31 Look! The righteous one — in the earth he will be rewarded. How much more should the wicked one and the sinner be!” (Proverbs chapter 11).

“Valuable things will be of no benefit on the day of fury, but righteousness itself will deliver from death” (verse 4).

“The righteous is the one rescued even from distress, and the wicked one comes in instead of him” (verse 8.).

“The one in want of heart has despised his own fellowman, but the man of broad discernment is one that keeps silent” (verse 12).

“The one walking about as a slanderer is uncovering confidential talk, but the one faithful in spirit is covering over a matter” (verse 13). This is not an always known aspect of what can be considered as slander, from the point of view of God: revealing confidential or intimate talk on people (although true), in order to do evil to them, with the same effect as slander which humiliates the people who are the victims. On the other hand, someone who covers over the matter (although true) is a righteous man with a noble form of righteousness.

“As a gold nose ring in the snout of a pig, so is a woman that is pretty but that is turning away from sensibleness” (verse 22). The physical beauty is a divine gift, nevertheless, it must be linked with the inner beauty of man and woman, which in this case would be to have soundness of mind.

“There exists the one that is scattering and yet is being increased; also the one that is keeping back from what is right, but it results only in want. The generous soul will itself be made fat, and the one freely watering others will himself also be freely watered” (verses 24,25).

“The fruitage of the righteous one is a tree of life, and he that is winning souls is wise” (verse 30). The expression “winning souls” means teaching, advising or disciplining a person so that he acquires wisdom or rectifies his possible bad behavior. In this sense, the righteous, by his wise advice can be a source of life, for those who listen to him and who follow his advice.

Reading the Bible (Reading and meditating on the biblical book of Proverbs):

English: https://yomelyah.com/435551334/435936045

French: https://yomelijah.com/434579029/435949980

Spanish: https://yomeliah.com/435165580/436032079

Portuguese: https://yomelias.com/435876442/436041507

THE SPIRITUAL MAN (Existential meditation on the biblical book of Ecclesiastes):

English: http://www.yomelyah.com/435966902

French: http://www.yomelijah.com/435950338

Spanish: http://www.yomeliah.com/436032401

Portuguese: http://www.yomelias.com/436041981

The Promise of God. The complete explanation of Genesis 3:15.

English: http://www.yomelyah.com/439659476