sa.laph describes turning justice, words, or a person's way away from what is right.

The attested uses depict a harmful turning or distortion: justice and the words of the righteous are affected in Exodus 23:8 and Deuteronomy 16:19, while a person's way is affected by wickedness or folly in Proverbs 13:6 and Proverbs 19:3. Proverbs 22:12 applies the action to the words of the treacherous; Job 12:19 is less transparent in the translation, though the same verbal form occurs in the clause about priests and the mighty.

1. Distorting what is right or straight · dominant

   The Piel forms occur where bribery affects justice and the words of the righteous in Exodus 23:8 and Deuteronomy 16:19, where wickedness or folly affects a person's way in Proverbs 13:6 and Proverbs 19:3, and where the words of the treacherous are affected in Proverbs 22:12. In Proverbs 21:12 the APB renders the clause "thereby perverting the wicked toward evil"; Job 12:19 supplies the same verbal form, but its translation does not isolate the term's contribution.

   Exodus 23:8Deuteronomy 16:19Proverbs 13:6Proverbs 19:3Proverbs 21:12Proverbs 22:12

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly uses "perverts" in the verses concerning justice, righteous words, a person's way, wickedness, and treacherous words, including Exodus 23:8, Deuteronomy 16:19, Proverbs 13:6, Proverbs 19:3, Proverbs 21:12, and Proverbs 22:12. In Job 12:19 it instead renders the verse with priests being led away and the mighty overthrown, so the translation does not make the term's specific contribution explicit.