9267. 'And perverts the words of the righteous' means that it causes things which are seen to look like the truths of good. This is clear from the meaning of 'perverting the words of the righteous' as causing things to look like the truths of good; for real things themselves, thus truths, are meant by 'the words', and people governed by good are meant by 'the righteous', 9263. The reason why truths are meant by 'the words' is that in the original language 'a word' means that which is something and has real existence, and from this means also the truth; for everything that has being (esse), which gives it real existence, has connection with the truth. This also is why Divine Truth is called the Word.