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

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

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He guards the paths of justice,
And (A)preserves the way of His saints.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path.

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20 I walk in the way of righteousness,(A)
    along the paths of justice,

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20 I [a]traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:20 walk about on

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

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The thoughts of the righteous are right,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

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

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23 (A)Much food is in the [a]fallow ground of the poor,
And for lack of justice there is [b]waste.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:23 uncultivated
  2. Proverbs 13:23 Lit. what is swept away

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

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

12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
    for a throne is established through righteousness.(C)

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10 Divination is on the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
11 (A)Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s;
All the weights in the bag are His [a]work.
12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For (B)a throne is established by righteousness.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:11 concern

15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent(A)
    the Lord detests them both.(B)

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15 (A)He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

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23 The wicked accept bribes(A) in secret
    to pervert the course of justice.(B)

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23 A wicked man accepts a bribe [a]behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:23 Under cover, lit. from the bosom

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

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26 Also, to punish the righteous is not good,
Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.

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

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It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,
Or to overthrow the righteous in (A)judgment.

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

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28 A [a]disreputable witness scorns justice,
And (A)the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:28 Lit. witness of Belial, worthless witness

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

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(A)To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

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

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The violence of the wicked will [a]destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:7 Lit. drag them away