| A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. | A perverse man sows strife, and a tale-bearer destroys close friendships. |
| The lips of the righteous know what finds favor, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse. | The lips of the righteous utter words of kindness, but the mouth of the wicked knows only how to pervert. |
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| To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. | The fear of the Lord implies hatred of evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil ways and perverse speech. |
| The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit. | A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but an undisciplined tongue crushes the spirit. |
| Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. | Turn away from the mouth that deceives and keep your distance from lips that mislead. |
| Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. | Do not envy a violent man or choose to emulate any of his ways. For the perverse man is an abomination to the Lord whose friendship is bestowed only upon the upright. |
| Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. | Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may show yourselves blameless and beyond reproach, children of God without spot in the midst of an evil and depraved generation, among which you shine like lights in the world as you hold fast tenaciously to the word of life. |
| Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. | Anyone who leads an honorable life walks in safety, but whoever pursues wicked ways will be found out. |
| The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” | The heart is more deceitful than any other thing, and it is also perverse. Who can uncover its secrets? I, the Lord, search the heart and probe the mind to reward all according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. |
| The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. | The upright are guarded by their integrity; the treacherous are destroyed by their own duplicity. |
| We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. | We have sinned and done what is wrong, we have acted wickedly and rebelled, we have rejected your commandments and your laws. |
