What does Proverbs 11:10 mean?

A "proverb" is a brief, broad statement of common sense. These short expressions of wisdom explain the normal, expected way of things. In this case, good people typically find themselves celebrated by others, and evil people see the world celebrate when they fall.

In Old Testament times, the impact of a few wealthy people on a city was greatly multiplied, compared to the modern world. When that wealth was in the hands of godly people, their buying power prospered their city and caused its people to rejoice. Further, those who pursue righteousness do not commit crime, and therefore bring a sense of security and stability to their community. Jeremiah 22:1–4 relates God's promise of stability and security if the king of Judah would "do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place" (Jeremiah 22:3).

It is also generally true that a city's residents openly celebrate the death or ruin of those they see as evil. The death of the wicked ends their earthly slander, lies, and hateful speech (Proverbs 11:9). The wicked may betray their city and divulge secret information to an enemy (Proverbs 11:11), or participate in crime, or crooked business (Proverbs 11:1), but all of those sins end when the wicked die.