The lawless and the righteous
(Deuteronomy 25:13-16; Ezekiel 45:10-12)
1
Balances of deceit [are] an abomination to YHWH, || And a perfect weight [is] His delight.
2
Pride has come, and shame comes, || And wisdom [is] with the lowly.
3
The integrity of the upright leads them, || And the perverseness of the treacherous destroys them.
4
Wealth does not profit in a day of wrath, || And righteousness delivers from death.
5
The righteousness of the perfect makes his way right, || And by his wickedness the wicked fall.
6
The righteousness of the upright delivers them, || And in mischief the treacherous are captured.
7
In the death of a wicked man, hope perishes, || And the expectation of the iniquitous has been lost.
8
The righteous is drawn out from distress, || And the wicked goes in instead of him.
9
A hypocrite corrupts his friend with the mouth, || And the righteous are drawn out by knowledge.
10
A city exults in the good of the righteous, || And in the destruction of the wicked [is] singing.
11
By the blessing of the upright is a city exalted, || And by the mouth of the wicked thrown down.
The faithful man and the messenger
12
Whoever is despising his neighbor lacks heart, || And a man of understanding keeps silence.
13
A busybody is revealing secret counsel, || And the faithful of spirit is covering the matter.
14
Without counsels a people falls, || And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counselors.
15
An evil [one] suffers when he has been guarantor [for] a stranger, || And whoever hates striking hands [in agreement] is confident.
16
A gracious woman retains honor, || And terrible [men] retain riches.
17
A kind man is rewarding his own soul, || And the fierce is troubling his own flesh.
18
The wicked is getting a lying wage, || And whoever is sowing righteousness—a true reward.
19
Correctly [is] righteousness for life, || And whoever is pursuing evil—for his own death.
20
The perverse of heart are an abomination to YHWH, || And the perfect of the way [are] His delight.
21
Hand to hand, the wicked is not acquitted, || And the seed of the righteous has escaped.
22
A ring of gold in the nose of a sow—A beautiful woman and stubborn of behavior.
23
The desire of the righteous [is] only good, || The hope of the wicked [is] transgression.
Generous benefactor
24
There is [one] who is scattering, and yet is increased, || And [one] who is keeping back from uprightness, only to want.
25
A liberal soul is made fat, || And whoever is watering, he also is watered.
26
Whoever is withholding grain, the people execrate him, || And a blessing [is] for the head of him who is selling.
27
Whoever is earnestly seeking good || Seeks a pleasing thing, || And whoever is seeking evil—it meets him.
28
Whoever is confident in his wealth falls, || And as a leaf, the righteous flourish.
29
Whoever is troubling his own house inherits wind, || And the fool [is] a servant to the wise of heart.
30
The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life, || And whoever is taking souls [is] wise.
31
Behold, the righteous is repaid in the earth, || Surely also the wicked and the sinner!
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