Woeto those who schemeiniquity,Who workout evilon their beds!When morningcomes, they doit, For it is in the powerof their hands.
"It is in my powerto doyou harm,but the Godof your fatherspoketo me lastnight,saying,Be carefulnot to speakeithergoodorbadto Jacob.'
Jezebelhis wifesaidto him, "Do you nowreignoverIsrael?Arise,eatbread,and let your heartbe joyful;I will giveyou the vineyardof Naboththe Jezreelite."
Then Hamansaidto KingAhasuerus,"Thereis a certainpeoplescatteredand dispersedamongthe peoplesin allthe provincesof your kingdom;their lawsare differentfrom [those] of all[other] peopleand they do not observethe king'slaws,so it is not in the king'sinterestto let them remain.
Then Zereshhis wifeand allhis friendssaidto him, "Have a gallowsfiftycubitshighmadeand in the morningaskthe kingto have Mordecaihangedon it; then gojoyfullywith the kingto the banquet."And the advicepleasedHaman,so he had the gallowsmade.
But when it cameto the king'sattention,he commandedby letterthat his wickedschemewhichhe had devisedagainstthe Jews,should returnon his own headand that he and his sonsshould be hangedon the gallows.
"They conceivemischiefand bringforthiniquity,And their mindpreparesdeception."
"The murdererarisesat dawn;He killsthe poorand the needy,And at nighthe is as a thief.
He planswickednessupon his bed;He setshimself on a paththat is not good;He does not despiseevil.
Your lovingkindness,O LORD,extends to the heavens,Your faithfulness[reaches] to the skies.
The wickedare estrangedfrom the womb;These who speakliesgoastrayfrom birth.
A goodmanwill obtainfavorfrom the LORD,But He will condemna manwho devisesevil.
Will they not goastraywho deviseevil?But kindnessand truth[will be to] those who devisegood.
Do not withholdgoodfrom those to whom it is due,When it is in your powerto do[it].
For they cannotsleepunlessthey doevil;And they are robbedof sleepunlessthey make [someone] stumble.
For the ruthlesswill cometo an endand the scornerwill be finished,Indeed allwho are intenton doingevilwill be cutoff;
The LORDentersinto judgmentwith the eldersand princesof His people,"It is you who have devouredthe vineyard;The plunderof the pooris in your houses.
As for a rogue,his weaponsare evil;He deviseswickedschemesTo destroy[the] afflictedwith slander,Even though [the] needyonespeakswhatis right.
Woeto those who addhouseto house[and] joinfieldto field,Untilthere is nomoreroom,So that you have to livealonein the midstof the land!
For your handsare defiledwith bloodAnd your fingerswith iniquity;Your lipshave spokenfalsehood,Your tonguemutterswickedness.
Then they said,"Comeand let us deviseplansagainstJeremiah.Surelythe lawis not going to be lostto the priest,norcounselto the sage,northe [divine] wordto the prophet!Comeon and let us strikeat him with [our] tongue,and let us givenoheedto anyof his words."
He saidto me, "Sonof man,theseare the menwho deviseiniquityand giveeviladvicein thiscity,
"You relyon your sword,you commitabominationsand eachof you defileshis neighbor'swife.Should you then possessthe land?"'
Thussaysthe LordGOD,"It will comeabout on that day,that thoughtswill comeinto your mindand you will devisean evilplan,
"The princeshall not takefrom the people'sinheritance,thrustingthem out of their possession;he shall givehis sonsinheritancefrom his own possessionsothat My peoplewill not be scattered,anyonefrom his possession."'"
"For the richmenof [the] city are fullof violence,Her residentsspeaklies,And their tongueis deceitfulin their mouth.
From you has goneforthOne who plottedevilagainstthe LORD,A wickedcounselor.
and do not oppressthe widowor the orphan,the strangeror the poor;and do not deviseevilin your heartsagainst oneanother.'
Earlyin the morningthe chief priestswith the eldersand scribesand the wholeCouncil,immediatelyhelda consultation;and bindingJesus,they led Him awayand deliveredHim to Pilate.
The scribesand the chief prieststriedto layhandson Him that veryhour,and they fearedthe people;for they understoodthat He spokethisparableagainstthem.
Jesusanswered,"You would havenoauthorityoverMe, unlessit had beengivenyou from above;for thisreasonhe who deliveredMe to you has[the] greatersin."
When it was day,the Jewsformed a conspiracyand boundthemselvesunder an oath,sayingthat they would neithereatnordrinkuntilthey had killedPaul.
"Nowtherefore,you and the Councilnotifythe commanderto bring him downto you, as thoughyou were goingto determinehis caseby a more thorough investigation;and we for our part are readyto slayhim beforehe comes near[the place]."
slanderers,haters of God,insolent,arrogant,boastful,inventorsof evil,disobedientto parents,
"Your sonsand your daughtersshall be givento anotherpeople,while your eyeslookon and yearnfor them continually;but therewill be nothingyou can do.
