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Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

¹ The ^(C1)plans of the heart belong to a person,
But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

² All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight,
But the ^(C1)LORD examines the ^(F1)motives.

^3 (F1)(C1)Commit your works to the LORD,
And your plans will be established.

⁴ The LORD ^(C1)has made everything for ^(F1)its own purpose,
Even the ^(C2)wicked for the day of evil.

⁵ Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD;
^(F1)Be assured, he will not go unpunished.

⁶ By ^(C1)mercy and truth atonement is made for wrongdoing,
And by ^(F1)the ^(C2)fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil.

⁷ When a person's ways are pleasing to the LORD,
He ^(C1)causes even his enemies to make peace with him.

⁸ Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.

⁹ The mind of a ^(C1)person plans his way,
But ^(C2)the LORD directs his steps.

¹⁰ A divine ^(C1)verdict is on the lips of the king;
His mouth should not ^(F1)err in judgment.

¹¹ A ^(C1)just balance and scales belong to the LORD;
All the ^(F1)weights of the bag are His ^(F2)concern.

¹² It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
Because a ^(C1)throne is established on righteousness.

¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And one who speaks right is loved.

¹⁴ The fury of a king is like messengers of death;
But a wise person will appease it.

¹⁵ In the light of a king's face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the ^(F1)(C1)spring rain.

¹⁶ How much ^(C1)better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.

¹⁷ The ^(C1)highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;
One who watches his way protects his ^(F1)life.

^18 (C1)Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

¹⁹ It is better to be ^(C1)humble in spirit with the needy
Than to ^(C2)divide the spoils with the proud.

²⁰ One who pays attention to the word will ^(C1)find good,
And ^(C2)blessed is one who trusts in the LORD.

²¹ The ^(C1)wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of ^(F1)speech ^(C2)increases ^(F2)persuasiveness.

²² Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,
But the discipline of fools is foolishness.

²³ The ^(C1)heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds ^(F1)persuasiveness to his lips.

^24 (C1)Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and ^(C2)healing to the bones.

^25 (C1)There is a way which seems right to a person,
But its end is the way of death.

²⁶ A worker's appetite works for him,
For his ^(F1)hunger urges him on.

²⁷ A ^(C1)worthless person digs up evil,
While ^(F1)his words are like ^(C2)scorching fire.

²⁸ A perverse person spreads strife,
And a ^(F1)slanderer separates close friends.

²⁹ A person of violence ^(C1)entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.

³⁰ He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

³¹ A ^(C1)gray head is a crown of glory;
It ^(C2)is found in the way of righteousness.

³² One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And one who rules his spirit, than one who captures a city.

³³ The ^(C1)lot is cast into the lap,
But its every ^(C2)decision is from the LORD.