23. The Lord guides people in the way they should goand protects those who please him.
24. If they fall, they will not stay down,because the Lord will help them up.
25. I am old now; I have lived a long time,but I have never seen good people abandoned by the Lordor their children begging for food.
26. At all times they give freely and lend to others,and their children are a blessing.
27. Turn away from evil and do good,and your descendants will always live in the land;
28. for the Lord loves what is rightand does not abandon his faithful people.He protects them for ever,but the descendants of the wicked will be driven out.
29. The righteous will possess the landand live in it for ever.
30. The words of good people are wise,and they are always fair.
31. They keep the law of their God in their heartsand never depart from it.
32. Wicked people watch good peopleand try to kill them;
33. but the Lord will not abandon them to their enemy's poweror let them be condemned when they are on trial.
34. Put your hope in the Lord and obey his commands;he will honour you by giving you the land,and you will see the wicked driven out.
35. I once knew a wicked and ruthless person;he towered over everyone like a cedar of Lebanon;
36. but later I passed by, and he wasn't there;I looked for him, but couldn't find him.