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28 A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice;
    the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

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28 A worthless witness cares nothing for truth—he enjoys his sinning too much.

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Haughty eyes, a proud heart,
    and evil actions are all sin.

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Pride, lust, and evil actions[a] are all sin.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:4 evil actions, literally, “the tillage of the wicked.”

The violence of the wicked sweeps them away,
    because they refuse to do what is just.

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Because the wicked are unfair, their violence boomerangs and destroys them.

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10 Evil people desire evil;
    their neighbors get no mercy from them.

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10 An evil man loves to harm others; being a good neighbor is out of his line.

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12 The Righteous One[a] knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked;
    he will bring disaster on them.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:12 Or The righteous man.

12 God, the Righteous One, knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked and will bring the wicked to judgment.

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18 The wicked are punished in place of the godly,
    and traitors in place of the honest.

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18 The wicked will finally lose; the righteous will finally win.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:18 The wicked will finally lose; the righteous will finally win, literally, “The wicked is a ransom for the righteous.”

27 The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable,
    especially when it is offered with wrong motives.

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27 God loathes the gifts of evil men, especially if they are trying to bribe him!

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29 The wicked bluff their way through,
    but the virtuous think before they act.

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29 An evil man is stubborn, but a godly man will reconsider.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:29 An evil man is stubborn, but a godly man will reconsider, or “The wicked man is brazen; the godly man is thoughtful.”

15 Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly,
    and don’t raid the house where the godly live.

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15-16 O evil man, leave the upright man alone and quit trying to cheat him out of his rights. Don’t you know that this good man, though you trip him up seven times, will each time rise again? But one calamity is enough to lay you low.

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16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
    But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.

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15-16 O evil man, leave the upright man alone and quit trying to cheat him out of his rights. Don’t you know that this good man, though you trip him up seven times, will each time rise again? But one calamity is enough to lay you low.

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19 Don’t fret because of evildoers;
    don’t envy the wicked.
20 For evil people have no future;
    the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.

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19-20 Don’t envy the wicked. Don’t covet his riches. For the evil man has no future; his light will be snuffed out.

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Remove the impurities from silver,
    and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith.
Remove the wicked from the king’s court,
    and his reign will be made secure by justice.

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4-5 When you remove dross from silver, you have sterling ready for the silversmith. When you remove corrupt men from the king’s court, his reign will be just and fair.

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