Comments today are made as I read through the passage.
A false balance is an abomination to the LORD,
but a just weight is his delight. Our relationship to God is meant to be honest and above board. The balances here extend beyond weighing objects into relationships, shared responsibilities etc.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.
The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Humility v Pride; Integrity v Crookedness.Which of these contestants should win is pretty obvious to most. But we all have a struggle being humble and integrated.
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,
but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. Delivery from what? After all if you get what you want by treachery how have you lost out? How it that Solomon says that the one who gets his desire, by treachery, is taken captive and the righteous standing true but maybe with little is delivered? Solomon holds us responsible to a Higher Authority.
When the wicked dies, his hope will perish,
and the expectation of wealth perishes too.
The righteous is delivered from trouble,
and the wicked walks into it instead. This certainly reads as if the final summing up , and announcing of the winners in the contests mentioned above comes at/after death! There are, however, positive and negative, effects here and now.
With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbour,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. When we consider the results of righteousness and wickedness it is not surprising that the shouting goes as indicated here!
As I read it! 