Common English Bible CEB
English Standard Version ESV
1 Don't get upset over evildoers; don't be jealous of those who do wrong,
1
Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 because they will fade fast, like grass; they will wither like green vegetables.
2
For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust the LORD and do good; live in the land, and farm faithfulness.
3
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Enjoy the LORD, and he will give what your heart asks.
4
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD! Trust him! He will act
5
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
6 and will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like high noon.
6
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
7 Be still before the LORD, and wait for him. Don't get upset when someone gets ahead— someone who invents evil schemes.
7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Let go of anger and leave rage behind! Don't get upset—it will only lead to evil.
8
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 Because evildoers will be eliminated, but those who hope in the LORD— they will possess the land.
9
For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
10 In just a little while the wicked won't exist! If you go looking around their place, they won't be there.
10
In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the weak will inherit the land; they will enjoy a surplus of peace.
11
But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous, grinding their teeth at them.
12
The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 But my Lord just laughs at them because he knows that their day is coming.
13
but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.
14 The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows to bring down the weak and the needy, to slaughter those whose way is right.
14
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;
15 But the sword of the wicked will enter their own hearts! Their bows will be broken!
15
their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 Better is the little that the righteous have than the overabundant wealth of the wicked.
16
Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.
17 The arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD supports the righteous.
17
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.
18 The LORD is intimately acquainted with the lives of the blameless; their heritage will last forever.
18
The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever;
19 They won't be ashamed in troubling times, and in a period of famine they will eat their fill.
19
they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.
20 But the wicked will die, the LORD's enemies will disappear— disappear like the beauty of a meadow—in smoke.
20
But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
21 The wicked borrow and don't pay it back, but the righteous are generous and giving.
21
The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 Those blessed by God will possess the land, but those cursed by God will be cut off.
22
for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
23 A person's steps are made secure by the LORD when they delight in his way.
23
The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;
24 Though they trip up, they won't be thrown down, because the LORD holds their hand.
24
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.
25 I was young and now I'm old, but I have never seen the righteous left all alone, have never seen their children begging for bread.
25
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
26 They are always gracious and generous. Their children are a blessing.
26
He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.
27 Turn away from evil! Do good! Then you will live in the land forever.
27
Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.
28 The LORD loves justice. He will never leave his faithful all alone. They are guarded forever, but the children of the wicked are eliminated.
28
For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous will possess the land; they will live on it forever.
29
The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.
30 The mouths of the righteous recite wisdom; their tongues discuss justice.
30
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The Instruction of their God is in their hearts; they don't miss a step.
31
The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
32 The wicked, on the other hand, target the righteous, seeking to kill them.
32
The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.
33 But the LORD won't leave the righteous to the power of the wicked, and won't let the righteous be found guilty when they are judged.
33
The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
34 Hope in the LORD and keep his way! He will lift you up so you can possess the land. When the wicked are eliminated, you will see it for yourself!
34
Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
35 I myself have seen wicked powerful people, exalting themselves like a stately cedar.
35
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But when I came back, they were gone! I looked all over for them, but they couldn't be found!
36
But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.
37 Observe those who have integrity and watch those whose heart is right because the future belongs to persons of peace.
37
Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But wrongdoers will be destroyed all together; the future of the wicked will be cut short.
38
But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their refuge in times of trouble.
39
The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The LORD will help themand rescue them— rescue them from the wicked—and he will save them because they have taken refuge in him.
40
The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025