He stores away sound wisdom for the righteous [those who are in right standing with Him];
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity [those of honorable character and moral courage],

So you will walk in the way of good men [that is, those of personal integrity, moral courage and honorable character],
And keep to the paths of the righteous.

Honor the Lord with your wealth
And with the first fruits of all your crops (income);

For the devious are repulsive to the Lord;
But His private counsel is with the upright [those with spiritual integrity and moral courage].

The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
But He blesses the home of the just and righteous.

But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day.

“All the words of my mouth are in righteousness (upright, in right standing with God);
There is nothing contrary to truth or perverted (crooked) in them.

Give instruction to a wise man and he will become even wiser;
Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger [God will meet all his needs],
But He will reject and cast away the craving of the wicked.

Blessings are on the head of the righteous [the upright, those in right standing with God],
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

The memory of the righteous [person] is a [source of] blessing,
But the name of the wicked will [be forgotten and] rot [like a corpse].

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life and his words of wisdom are a source of blessing,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence and evil.

The wages of the righteous [the upright, those in right standing with God] is [a worthwhile, meaningful] life,
The income of the wicked, punishment.

The lips of the righteous feed and guide many,
But fools [who reject God and His wisdom] die for lack of understanding.

What the wicked fears will come upon him,
But the desire of the righteous [for the blessings of God] will be granted.

When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

The hope of the righteous [those of honorable character and integrity] is joy,
But the expectation of the wicked [those who oppose God and ignore His wisdom] comes to nothing.

The [consistently] righteous will never be shaken,
But the wicked will not inhabit the earth.

The mouth of the righteous flows with [skillful and godly] wisdom,
But the perverted tongue will be cut out.

The lips of the righteous know (speak) what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked knows (speaks) what is perverted (twisted).

The righteous is rescued from trouble,
And the wicked takes his place.

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge and discernment the righteous will be rescued.

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

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

The desire of the righteous brings only good,
But the expectation of the wicked brings wrath.

He who leans on and trusts in and is confident in his riches will fall,
But the righteous [who trust in God’s provision] will flourish like a green leaf.

The fruit of the [consistently] righteous is a tree of life,
And he who is wise captures and wins souls [for God—he gathers them for eternity].

If the righteous will be rewarded on the earth [with godly blessings],
How much more [will] the wicked and the sinner [be repaid with punishment]!

A man will not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the [consistently] righteous will not be moved.

The thoughts and purposes of the [consistently] righteous are just (honest, reliable),
But the counsels and schemes of the wicked are deceitful.

The wicked are overthrown [by their evil] and are no more,
But the house of the [consistently] righteous will stand [securely].

A righteous man has kind regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

The wicked desire the plunder of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields richer fruit.

An evil man is [dangerously] ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
But the righteous will escape from trouble.

No harm befalls the righteous,
But the wicked are filled with trouble.

The righteous man is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

A righteous man hates lies,
But a wicked man is loathsome, and he acts shamefully.

The light of the righteous [within him—grows brighter and] rejoices,
But the lamp of the wicked [is a temporary light and] goes out.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for [the hands of] the righteous.

The [consistently] righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
But the stomach of the wicked is in need [of bread].

The evil will bow down before the good,
And the wicked [will bow down] at the gates of the righteous.

The wicked is overthrown through his wrongdoing,
But the righteous has hope and confidence and a refuge [with God] even in death.

Great and priceless treasure is in the house of the [consistently] righteous one [who seeks godly instruction and grows in wisdom],
But trouble is in the income of the wicked one [who rejects the laws of God].

The way of the lazy is like a hedge of thorns [it pricks, lacerates, and entangles him],
But the way [of life] of the upright is smooth and open like a highway.

The heart of the righteous thinks carefully about how to answer [in a wise and appropriate and timely way],
But the [babbling] mouth of the wicked pours out malevolent things.

The Lord is far from the wicked [and distances Himself from them],
But He hears the prayer of the [consistently] righteous [that is, those with spiritual integrity and moral courage].

He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous
Are both repulsive to the Lord.

It is also not good to fine the righteous,
Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

To show respect to the wicked person is not good,
Nor to push aside and deprive the righteous of justice.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs to it and is safe and set on high [far above evil].

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler;
And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.

The righteous man who walks in integrity and lives life in accord with his [godly] beliefs—
How blessed [happy and spiritually secure] are his children after him [who have his example to follow].

The righteous one keeps an eye on the house of the wicked—
How the wicked are cast down to ruin.

When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous (the upright, the one in right standing with God),
But to the evildoers it is disaster.

The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,
And the treacherous in the place of the upright [for they fall into their own traps].

He craves all the day long [and does no work],
But the righteous [willingly] gives and does not withhold [what he has].

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And he who sires a wise child will have joy in him.

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of disaster and collapse.

He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Peoples will curse him, nations will denounce him;

Like a muddied fountain and a polluted spring
Is a righteous man who yields and compromises his integrity before the wicked.

The wicked flee when no one pursues them,
But the righteous are as bold as a lion.

When the righteous triumph, there is great glory and celebration;
But when the wicked rise [to prominence], men hide themselves.

When the wicked rise [to power], men hide themselves;
But when the wicked perish, the [consistently] righteous increase and become great.

When the righteous are in authority and become great, the people rejoice;
But when the wicked man rules, the people groan and sigh.

By his wicked plan an evil man is trapped,
But the righteous man sings and rejoices [for his plan brings good things to him].

The righteous man cares for the rights of the poor,
But the wicked man has no interest in such knowledge.

When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases,
But the righteous will see the downfall of the wicked.

An unjust man is repulsive to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way [of the Lord] is repulsive to the wicked.