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Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

¹ A ^(C1)false balance and dishonest business practices are extremely offensive to the LORD,
But an ^(C2)accurate scale is His delight. ^(VR1)

² When ^(C1)pride comes boiling up with an arrogant attitude of self-importance, then come dishonor and shame,
But with the humble the teachable who have been chiseled by trial and who have learned to walk humbly with God there is wisdom and soundness of mind.

³ The ^(C1)integrity and moral courage of the upright will guide them,
But the ^(C2)crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.

^4 (C1)Riches will not provide security in the day of wrath and judgment,
But ^(C2)righteousness rescues from death. ^(VR1)

⁵ The ^(C1)righteousness of the blameless will smooth their way and keep it straight,
But ^(C2)the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

⁶ The righteousness of the upright will rescue them,
But the treacherous will ^(C1)be caught by their own greed.

⁷ When the wicked man dies, his ^(C1)expectation will perish;
And the ^(C2)hope of godless strong men perishes.

^8 (F1)The righteous is rescued from trouble,
And the wicked takes his place.

⁹ With his ^(C1)mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge and discernment the ^(C2)righteous will be rescued.

¹⁰ When it ^(C1)goes well for the righteous, the city rejoices,
And when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

¹¹ By the blessing of the influence of the upright the city is exalted,
But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

¹² He who despises his neighbor lacks sense,
But a man of understanding keeps silent.

¹³ He ^(C1)who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets,
But he who is trustworthy and faithful ^(C2)keeps a matter hidden.

¹⁴ Where there is no wise, intelligent ^(C1)guidance, the people fall and go off course like a ship without a helm,
But in the abundance of wise and godly counselors there is victory.

¹⁵ He who puts up ^(C1)security and guarantees a debt for an outsider will surely suffer for his foolishness,
But he who hates (declines) being a guarantor is secure from its penalties.

¹⁶ A ^(C1)gracious and good woman attains honor,
And ruthless men attain riches but not respect.

¹⁷ The ^(C1)merciful and generous man benefits his soul for his behavior returns to bless him,
But the cruel and callous man does himself harm.

¹⁸ The wicked man earns deceptive wages,
But he who ^(C1)sows righteousness and lives his life with integrity will have a true reward that is both permanent and satisfying. ^(VR1)

¹⁹ He who is steadfast in ^(C1)righteousness attains life,
But ^(C2)he who pursues evil attains his own death.

²⁰ The perverse in heart are repulsive and shamefully vile to the LORD,
But those who are ^(C1)blameless and above reproach in their walk are His ^(C2)delight!

²¹ Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished,
But the descendants of the righteous will be freed.

²² As a ^(C1)ring of gold in a swine's snout,
So is a beautiful woman who is without discretion her lack of character mocks her beauty.

²³ The desire of the righteous brings only good,
But the ^(C1)expectation of the wicked brings wrath.

²⁴ There is the one who generously scatters abroad, and yet increases all the more;
And there is the one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want and poverty.

²⁵ The ^(C1)generous man is a source of blessing and shall be prosperous and enriched,
And he who ^(C2)waters will himself be watered reaping the generosity he has sown. ^(VR1)

²⁶ The ^(C1)people curse him who holds back grain when the public needs it,
But a ^(C2)blessing from God and man is upon the head of him who ^(C3)sells it.

²⁷ He who diligently seeks good seeks favor and grace,
But ^(C1)he who seeks evil, evil will come to him.

²⁸ He who leans on and ^(C1)trusts in and is confident in his riches will fall,
But ^(C2)the righteous who trust in God's provision will flourish like a green leaf.

²⁹ He who ^(C1)troubles (mismanages) his own house will ^(C2)inherit the wind (nothing),
And ^(C3)the foolish will be a servant to the wise-hearted.

³⁰ The fruit of the consistently righteous is ^(C1)a tree of life,
And ^(C2)he who is wise captures and wins souls for God—he gathers them for eternity. ^(VR1)

³¹ If the ^(C1)righteous will be rewarded on the earth with godly blessings,
How much more will the wicked and the sinner be repaid with punishment!