Treat Others Fairly

27 When it is in your power,[a]
don’t withhold good(A) from the one to whom it belongs.
28 Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go away! Come back later.
I’ll give it tomorrow”—when it is there with you.(B)
29 Don’t plan any harm against your neighbor,(C)
for he trusts you and lives near you.
30 Don’t accuse anyone without cause,(D)
when he has done you no harm.
31 Don’t envy a violent man(E)
or choose any of his ways;
32 for the devious are detestable to the Lord,
but he is a friend[b] to the upright.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 3:27 Lit in the power of your hands
  2. 3:32 Or confidential counsel

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
    “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
    when you already have it with you.(A)
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
    who lives trustfully near you.(B)
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
    when they have done you no harm.

31 Do not envy(C) the violent
    or choose any of their ways.

32 For the Lord detests the perverse(D)
    but takes the upright into his confidence.(E)

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27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

32 For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.

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Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone,
but righteousness rescues from death.(A)

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Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,(A)
    but righteousness delivers from death.(B)

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Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

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11 Dishonest scales are detestable to the Lord,(A)
but an accurate weight is his delight.(B)

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11 The Lord detests dishonest scales,(A)
    but accurate weights find favor with him.(B)

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11 A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.

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The one who guards his mouth protects his life;(A)
the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.(B)

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Those who guard their lips(A) preserve their lives,(B)
    but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.(C)

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He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

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11 Wealth obtained by fraud will dwindle,(A)
but whoever earns it through labor[a] will multiply it.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 13:11 Lit whoever gathers upon his hand

11 Dishonest money dwindles away,(A)
    but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

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11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.

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Whoever lives with integrity fears the Lord,(A)
but the one who is devious in his ways despises him.(B)

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Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly,
    but those who despise him are devious in their ways.

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He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

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An honest witness does not deceive,
but a dishonest witness utters lies.(A)

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

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A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

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27 The one who profits dishonestly(A) troubles his household,
but the one who hates bribes will live.(B)

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

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27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

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Iniquity is atoned for by loyalty and faithfulness,(A)
and one turns from evil by the fear of the Lord.(B)

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Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
    through the fear of the Lord(A) evil is avoided.(B)

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By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

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