Proverb 21.6-8
“The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death. The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just. The way of the guilty is crooked, but the conduct of the pure is upright.”
This passage is a strong warning not to be a wicked person, and it is a strong warning to stay away from wicked people.
Verse 6 says that wicked people are liars and deceivers.
Verse 7 says they are violent.
Verse 8 says they are crooked.
The Hebrew word used for “crooked” is hapakpak, and it means someone who deviates from the right standard. It is someone who is not straightforward. Wicked people do not speak the truth. They manipulate. They bend and twist things in an attempt to get what they want.
The conduct of godly people is very different. Godly people are “upright,” which is the Hebrew word yasar, and it means straight or correct. You will recall that the book of Proverbs repeatedly refers to “the path” or “the way” (Hebrew derek) which is a metaphor for how you live your life. This Proverb reinforces the consistent message of the entire book: Godly people follow the “straight” path of wisdom, whereas the wicked follow the “crooked” path of foolishness.
In Hebrew, verse 8 has a creative play on words to clarify the difference between the straight path versus the crooked path. Zak is the Hebrew word for “pure,’ and zar is the Hebrew word for “guilty.” People who follow the straight path are described as zak. People who follow the crooked path are described as zar.
That is the decision you make each day: zak or zar.
