Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
A afalse balance and dishonest business practices are extremely offensive to the LORD,But an baccurate scale is His delight. Lev 19:35, 36; Prov 16:11Lev 19:35, 36; Deut 25:13-16; Prov 20:10, 23; Mic 6:11Prov 16:112 When apride comes boiling up with an arrogant attitude of self-importance, then come dishonor and shame,But with the humble the teachable who have been chiseled by trial and who have learned to walk humbly with God there is wisdom and soundness of mind.Prov 16:18; 18:12; 29:233 The aintegrity and moral courage of the upright will guide them,But the bcrookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.Prov 13:6Prov 19:3; 22:124 aRiches will not provide security in the day of wrath and judgment,But brighteousness rescues from death. Prov 10:2; Zeph 1:18Prov 10:2; Ezek 7:19; Zeph 1:18Gen 7:15 The arighteousness of the blameless will smooth their way and keep it straight,But bthe wicked will fall by his own wickedness.Prov 3:6Prov 5:226 The righteousness of the upright will rescue them,But the treacherous will abe caught by their own greed.Ps 7:15, 16; 9:15; Eccl 10:87 When the wicked man dies, his aexpectation will perish;And the bhope of godless strong men perishes.Prov 10:28Job 8:13, 148 1The righteous is rescued from trouble,And the wicked takes his place.The famous eleventh-century rabbi known as Rashi told a fable illustrating this verse. He said that a fox once told a wolf to come with him and he would give him abundant food. It was night, and the fox led the wolf to a well with a bucket at each end of the rope. The fox got into the bucket at the top of the well and rode down to the bottom. When the wolf asked him what he was doing, the fox pointed to the reflection of the moon in the water and said, “There is plenty of cheese and meat down here. Get in the other bucket and come down right away!” The wolf did, and as he went down the fox was pulled up in the first bucket. When the fox got to the top, the wolf said, “How am I supposed to get out?” Thereupon the fox quoted this verse to him.9 With his amouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,But through knowledge and discernment the brighteous will be rescued.Prov 16:29Prov 11:610 When it agoes well for the righteous, the city rejoices,And when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.Prov 28:1211 By the blessing of the influence of the upright the city is exalted,But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.12 He who despises his neighbor lacks sense,But a man of understanding keeps silent.13 He awho goes about as a gossip reveals secrets,But he who is trustworthy and faithful bkeeps a matter hidden.Lev 19:16; Prov 20:19; 1 Tim 5:13Prov 19:1114 Where there is no wise, intelligent aguidance, the people fall and go off course like a ship without a helm,But in the abundance of wise and godly counselors there is victory.Prov 15:22; 20:18; 24:615 He who puts up asecurity and guarantees a debt for an outsider will surely suffer for his foolishness,But he who hates being a guarantor is secure from its penalties.Prov 6:1; 27:1316 A agracious and good woman attains honor,And ruthless men attain riches but not respect.Prov 31:28, 3017 The amerciful and generous man benefits his soul for his behavior returns to bless him,But the cruel and callous man does himself harm.Matt 5:7; 25:34-3618 The wicked man earns deceptive wages,But he who asows righteousness and lives his life with integrity will have a true reward that is both permanent and satisfying. Hos 10:12; Gal 6:8, 9; James 3:18Hos 10:12; Gal 6:8, 9; James 3:1819 He who is steadfast in arighteousness attains life,But bhe who pursues evil attains his own death.Prov 10:16; 12:28; 19:23Prov 21:16; Rom 6:23; James 1:1520 The perverse in heart are repulsive and shamefully vile to the LORD,But those who are ablameless and above reproach in their walk are His bdelight!Ps 119:1; Prov 13:61 Chr 29:1721 Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished,But the descendants of the righteous will be freed.22 As a aring of gold in a swine’s snout,So is a beautiful woman who is without discretion her lack of character mocks her beauty.Gen 24:4723 The desire of the righteous brings only good,But the aexpectation of the wicked brings wrath.Prov 10:28; Rom 2:8, 924 There is the one who generously scatters abroad, and yet increases all the more;And there is the one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want and poverty.25 The agenerous man is a source of blessing and shall be prosperous and enriched,And he who bwaters will himself be watered reaping the generosity he has sown. 2+@Cor 9:6-10Prov 3:9, 10; 2 Cor 9:6, 7Matt 5:726 The apeople curse him who holds back grain when the public needs it,But a bblessing from God and man is upon the head of him who csells it.Prov 24:24Job 29:13Gen 42:627 He who diligently seeks good seeks favor and grace,But ahe who seeks evil, evil will come to him.Esth 7:10; Ps 7:15, 16; 57:628 He who leans on and atrusts in and is confident in his riches will fall,But bthe righteous who trust in God’s provision will flourish like a green leaf.Ps 49:6; Mark 10:25; 1 Tim 6:17Ps 1:3; 92:12; Jer 17:829 He who atroubles his own house will binherit the wind ,And cthe foolish will be a servant to the wise-hearted.Prov 15:27Eccl 5:16Prov 14:1930 The fruit of the consistently righteous is aa tree of life,And bhe who is wise captures and wins souls for God—he gathers them for eternity. Matt 4:19; 1+@Cor 9:19; James 5:20Prov 3:18Prov 14:25; Dan 12:3; 1 Cor 9:19-22; James 5:2031 If the arighteous will be rewarded on the earth with godly blessings,How much more will the wicked and the sinner be repaid with punishment!2 Sam 22:21, 25; Prov 13:21; 1 Pet 4:18