20 The ruthless will vanish,

the mockers will disappear,

and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down—

21 those who with a word make someone out to be guilty,

who ensnare the defender in court

and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice.

20 For the ruthless shall come to nothing

and the scoffer cease,

and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off,

21 who by a word make a man out to be an offender,

and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate,

and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.

20 The scoffer will be gone,

the arrogant will disappear,

and those who plot evil will be killed.

21 Those who convict the innocent

by their false testimony will disappear.

A similar fate awaits those who use trickery to pervert justice

and who tell lies to destroy the innocent.

20 For the terrible one is brought to nothing,

The scornful one is consumed,

And all who watch for iniquity are cut off—

21 Who make a man an offender by a word,

And lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate,

And turn aside the just by empty words.

20 Then the people without mercy will come to an end;

those who do not respect God will disappear.

Those who enjoy doing evil will be gone:

21 those who lie about others in court,

those who trap people in court,

those who lie and take justice from innocent people in court.

20 For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scoffer ceaseth, and all they that watch for iniquity are cut off; 21 that make a man an offender in his cause, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just with a thing of nought.

20 For the terrible one shall come to nought, and the scorner shall be no more, and all that watch for iniquity shall be cut off, 21 that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and pervert the judgment of the righteous by futility.

20 Tyrants will be gone. 

Mockers will be finished. 

All who look for ways to do wrong will come to an end: 

21 those who make people sin with words, 

those who lay traps for judges, 

those who, without any reason, deny justice 

to people who are in the right. 

20 For the ruthless one will vanish,

the scorner will disappear,

and all those who lie in wait with evil intent

will be killed—

21 those who, with their speech,

accuse a person of wrongdoing,

who set a trap at the gate for the mediator,

and without cause deprive the righteous of justice.

20 For the tyrant shall be no more,

and the scoffer shall cease to be;

all those alert to do evil shall be cut off—

21 those who cause a person to lose a lawsuit,

who set a trap for the arbiter in the gate,

and without grounds deny justice to the one in the right.

20 For the tyrant shall be no more,

and the scoffer shall come to an end.

And all those lying in wait for evil shall be cut off;

21 those who mislead a person into sin with a word

and set a trap for the arbitrator in the gate

and guide away the righteous by emptiness.

20 Those who don’t show any pity will vanish.

Those who make fun of others will disappear.

All those who look for ways to do what is evil will be cut off.

21 Without any proof, they claim that a man is guilty.

In court they try to trap

the one who speaks up for others.

By using dishonest witnesses they keep those who aren’t guilty

from being treated fairly.

20 For the ruthless will come to an end and the scorner will be finished,

Indeed all who are intent on doing evil will be cut off;

21 Who cause a person to be indicted by a word,

And ensnare him who adjudicates at the gate,

And defraud the one in the right with meaningless arguments.