The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

The justice of the upright shall make his way prosperous: and the wicked man shall fall by his own wickedness.

The righteousness of the perfect maketh plain his way; but the wicked falleth by his own wickedness.

The righteousness of the perfect maketh right his way, And by his wickedness doth the wicked fall.

The righteousness of the good man will make his way straight, but the sin of the evil-doer will be the cause of his fall.

The righteousness of the sincere shall make straight his way; But the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. .

The justice of the simple shall direct his way. And the impious will fall in his impiety.

The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way,.... Or "make it plain" (f); that is, the righteousness of those who are perfect in Christ, complete in him, perfectly justified by his righteousness; that righteousness makes their way plain; it is the direct way, the highway, the pathway to eternal life and happiness; see Proverbs 12:28;
but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness; or, "in his wickedness" (g): in his own wicked way, which he has chosen and delights to walk in; he shall stumble therein, and fall into ruin and destruction, into hell and damnation: or by means or because of it he will fall; his wickedness will be the cause of his fall; as it will be the cause of the fall of Babylon, Revelation 18:2.
(f) "rectam facit", Cocceius; "complanat viam ejus", Schultens. (g) "in impietate sua", Tigurine version, Montanus, Baynus, Michaelis; "improbitate sua", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "in injustitia sua", Cocceius; "in improbitate sua turbulenta", Schultens.

The ways of wickedness are dangerous. And sin will be its own punishment.

direct--or, "make plain"; wicked ways are not plain (Proverbs 13:17).

5 The righteousness of the blameless smootheth his way,
And by his own wickedness doth the wicked fall.
With the תּמים (cf. Proverbs 1:12), formed after the passive, more than with תּם, is connected the idea of the perfected, but more in the negative sense of moral spotlessness than of moral perfection. The rectitude of a man who seeks to keep his conscience and his character pure, maketh smooth (ישּׁר, as Proverbs 3:6, not of the straightness of the line, but of the surface, evenness) his life's path, so that he can pursue his aim without stumbling and hindrance, and swerving from the direct way; while, on the contrary, the godless comes to ruin by his godlessness - that by which he seeks to forward his interests, and to make a way for himself, becomes his destruction.