12  The wicked plots against the righteous

and gnashes his teeth at him,

13  but the Lord ^llaughs at the wicked,

for he sees that his day is coming.

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  their sword shall enter their own heart,

and their bows shall be broken.

16  ^mBetter is the little that the righteous has

than the abundance of many wicked.

17  For the arms of the wicked shall be ⁿbroken,

but the Lord upholds the righteous.

18  The Lord knows the days of the blameless,

and their heritage will remain forever;

19  they are not put to shame in evil times;

^oin the days of famine they have abundance.

20  But the wicked will perish;

the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;

they vanish—like ^psmoke they vanish away.

21  The wicked borrows but does not pay back,

but the righteous is generous and gives;

22  for those blessed by the Lord¹ shall inherit the land,

but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23  ^qThe steps of a man are established by the Lord,

when he ^rdelights in his way;

24  ^sthough he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,

for the Lord upholds his hand.

25  I have been young, and now am old,

yet ^tI have not seen the righteous forsaken

or his children begging for bread.

26  He is ever ^ulending generously,

and his children become a blessing.