"The Righteous vs The Evil, pt.1" (40 Days of Wisdom for Lent)

My son, don’t let sinners entice you.
Don’t go
when they say:
“Come with us. ..."
My son, don’t go on the path with them;
keep your feet from their way,
because their feet run to evil;...
(Proverbs 1:10-16 CEB)

The Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He reserves ability for those with integrity.
He is a shield for those who live a blameless life.
He protects the paths of justice
and guards the way of those who are loyal to him.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
as well as integrity, every good course.
Wisdom will enter your mind,
and knowledge will fill you with delight.
Discretion will guard you;
understanding will protect you.
Wisdom will rescue you from the evil path,
from people who twist their words.
They forsake the way of integrity
and go on obscure paths.
They enjoy doing evil,
rejoicing in their twisted evil.
Their paths are confused;
they get lost on their way.
So you should stay on the path of good people,
guarding the road of the righteous.
Those who have integrity will dwell in the land;
the innocent will remain in it.
But the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the treacherous will be ripped up.
(Proverbs 2:6-15,20-21 CEB)

Don’t go on the way of the wicked;
don’t walk on the path of evil people.
Avoid it! Don’t turn onto it;
stay off of it and keep going!
They don’t sleep unless they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
They eat the bread of evil,
and they drink the wine of violence.
The way of the righteous is like morning light
that gets brighter and brighter till it is full day.
The path of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they don’t know where they will stumble.
(Proverbs 4:14-19 CEB)

The Lord’s eyes watch over every person’s path,
observing all their ways.
The wicked will be caught by their own evil acts,
grabbed by the ropes of their own sin.
Those without instruction will die,
misled by their own stupidity.
(Proverbs 5:21-23 CEB)

The treasure of the wicked won’t profit them,
but righteousness rescues people from death.
The Lord doesn’t let the righteous starve,
but he rejects the desires of the wicked.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
The wages of the righteous lead to life;
the earnings of the wicked lead to sin.
What the wicked dread will come on them,
but what the righteous desire will be given to them.
After a whirlwind passes by, the wicked are no more,
but the righteous stand firm forever.
The expectations of the righteous result in joy,
but the hopes of the wicked will perish.
The path of the Lord is a refuge for the innocent
and ruin for those who do evil.
The righteous will never be shaken,
but the wicked won’t dwell in the land.
The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,
but the twisted tongue will be cut off.
The lips of the wise know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked knows only what is perverse.
(Proverbs 10:2-3,11,16,24-25,28-32 CEB)

Riches don’t help in the day of wrath,
but righteousness rescues from death.
The righteousness of the innocent makes their path straight,
but the wicked fall in their wickedness.
Those who do right are saved by their righteousness,
but the untrustworthy are caught by their own desires.
When the wicked die, their hope perishes.
Yes, any hope based on money perishes.
The righteous are saved from distress,
and the wicked take their place.
The godless destroy their neighbors by their words,
but the righteous are saved by their knowledge.
When the righteous succeed, a city rejoices;
when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
A city is honored by the blessing of the virtuous;
it is destroyed by the words of the wicked.
The wicked earn false wages,
but those who sow righteousness receive a true reward.
The righteous are headed toward life,
but those who pursue evil, toward death.
The Lord detests a crooked heart,
but he favors those whose path is innocent.
The evil person will surely not go unpunished,
but the children of the righteous will escape.
The desires of the righteous end up well,
but the expectations of the wicked bring wrath.
Those who look for good find favor,
but those who seek evil—it will come to them.
Those who trust in their wealth will wither,
but the righteous will thrive like leafy trees.
Those who trouble their family will inherit the wind.
The fool will be servant to the wise.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and the wise gather lives.
If the righteous receive their due on earth,
how much more the wicked and sinners?
(Proverbs 11:4-11,18-21,23,27-31 CEB)