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Psalms 61:10

But vain are the sons of men, the sons of men are liars in the balances: that by vanity they may together deceive.

Challoner: Are liars in the balancesThey are so vain and light, that if they are put into the scales, they will be found to be of no weight; and to be mere lies, deceit, and vanity. Or, They are liars in their balances, by weighing things by false weights, and preferring the temporal before the eternal.

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The verse in its languages

Vulgate (Clementine): Verumtamen vani filii hominum, mendaces filii hominum in stateris, ut decipiant ipsi de vanitate in idipsum.
Septuagint (Swete): πλὴν μάταιοι οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ψευδεῖς οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐν ζυγοῖς τοῦ ἀδικῆσαι, αὐτοὶ ἐκ ματαιότητος ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό.
Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 62:10: אַ֤ךְ הֶ֥בֶל בְּנֵֽי אָדָם֮ כָּזָ֪ב בְּנֵ֫י אִ֥ישׁ בְּמֹאזְנַ֥יִם לַעֲל֑וֹת הֵ֝֗מָּה מֵהֶ֥בֶל יָֽחַד

Haydock's commentary

Liars. They are so vain and light, that if they are put into the scales, they will be found to be of no weight; and to be mere lies, deceit, and vanity. Or, they are liars in their balances, by weighing thing by false weights, and preferring the temporal before the eternal. (Challoner) (Proverbs xi. 1., and xx. 10.)

They give false judgments; be not concerned; God is our protector. (Calmet)

God's servants strive to draw others to the practice of virtue. (Worthington)

All sinners (Haydock) will not outweigh vanity itself. (Menochius)

From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.

The Fathers on this verse

St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm LXII

9. “Hope ye in Him all the council of the people” ( ver. 8 ). Imitate ye Idithun, leap over your enemies; men fighting against you, stopping up your way, men hating you, leap ye over: “Hope in Him all the council of the people: pour out before Him your hearts:”…By imploring, by confessing, by hoping. Do not keep back your hearts within your hearts: “Pour out before Him your hearts.” That perisheth not which ye pour out. For He is my Taker up. If He taketh up, why fearest thou to pour out? “Cast upon the Lord thy care, and hope in Him.” What fear ye amid whisperers, slanderers hateful to God, where they are able openly assailing, where they are unable secretly lying in wait, falsely praising, truly at enmity, amid them what fear ye? “God is our Helper.” Do they anywise equal God? Are they anywise stronger than He? “God is our Helper,” be ye without care. …