for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair;

If they say, “Come along with us; let`s lie in wait for innocent blood, let`s ambush some harmless soul;

let`s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood.

These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves!

He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.

For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;

but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.

Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I`ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you.

Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.

Do not accuse anyone for no reason— when they have done you no harm.

Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways.

For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence.

The Lord`s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.

They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:

haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,

People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.

Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.

He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.

All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.

By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just;

I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,

Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.

Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.

The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot.

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.

The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.

What the wicked dread will overtake them; what the righteous desire will be granted.

When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.

The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.

The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land.

The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.

Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of their power comes to nothing.

The righteous person is rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.

When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.

A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death.

Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.

The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it.

If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!

Good people obtain favor from the Lord, but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.

No one can be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.

The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers, but the root of the righteous endures.

An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies.

Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.

No harm overtakes the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.

The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves.

Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things.

An unplowed field produces food for the poor, but injustice sweeps it away.

The righteous eat to their hearts` content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.

The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.

The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs.

Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.

A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.

Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.

The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.

The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he sets the widow`s boundary stones in place.

The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.

Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

The lips of a king speak as an oracle, and his mouth does not betray justice.

Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of his making.

Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness.

Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn.

Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them.

Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.

Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the Lord detests them both.

The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.

If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right.

When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach.

It is not good to be partial to the wicked and so deprive the innocent of justice.

In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines.

Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart.

A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free.

A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish.

A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.

When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes.

Differing weights and differing measures— the Lord detests them both.

Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

Do not say, “I`ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.

The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.

A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them.

To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right.

The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.

When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.

The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright.

Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.

A false witness will perish, but a careful listener will testify successfully.

Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity, and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.

One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth, so that you bring back truthful reports to those you serve?

Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court,

for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life.

Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors.

Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.

Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company;

for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.

Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer.

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?

Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place;

for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,

Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked,

for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:

Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.

But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them.

Do not testify against your neighbor without cause— would you use your lips to mislead?

Do not say, “I`ll do to them as they have done to me; I`ll pay them back for what they did.”

remove wicked officials from the king`s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.

do not bring hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?

If you take your neighbor to court, do not betray another`s confidence,

Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked.

Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.

The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.

Whoever leads the upright along an evil path will fall into their own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder will seek refuge in the grave; let no one hold them back.

The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.

To show partiality is not good— yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.

By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.

Evildoers are snared by their own sin, but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.

The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.

The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity and seek to kill the upright.

The poor and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.

If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will be established forever.

When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.

The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify.

The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.

those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind.

lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.