¹ The wicked flee, but no one pursues, but the righteous is bold like a lion.

² By the rebellion of a land, her rulers increase, but by a person of intelligence who knows justice, it will last.

³ A man who is poor and oppresses the impoverished is a beating rain ⌞that leaves⌟¹ no food.

1. Literally “and there is”

⁴ Those who forsake instruction will praise the wicked, but they who guard instruction will struggle against them.

⁵ Men of evil do not understand justice, but seekers of Yahweh understand completely.¹

1. Or “everything”

⁶ Better to be poor and walking in one’s integrity than to be crooked of ways when one is rich.

⁷ He who keeps instruction is a child of understanding, but the companion of gluttons will shame his father.

⁸ He who augments his wealth with interest and with usury gathers it for him who is kind to the poor.

⁹ He who turns his ear from listening to instruction, even his prayer is an abomination.

¹⁰ He who misleads the upright onto the way of evil, into his pits he will fall. But as for the blameless, they will inherit good.

¹¹ A man of wealth is wise in his own eyes, but the intelligent poor sees through him.

¹² When the righteous triumphs, great is the glory, but with the rising of the wicked, a person will be hidden.

¹³ He who conceals his transgression will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes will obtain mercy.

¹⁴ Happy is the person who fears continuously, but he who is stubborn of heart,¹ will fall into calamity.

1. Or “mind”

¹⁵ Like a roaring lion and a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

¹⁶ A ruler who lacks understanding is¹ a cruel oppressor, but those who hate unjust gain will have long² days.

1. Hebrew “and”
2. Or “prolong”

¹⁷ A person who is burdened with the blood of ⌞another⌟,¹ until death he will flee; do not take hold of him.

1. Literally “life”

¹⁸ He who walks in integrity will be safe, but he who takes crooked paths will fall in one.

¹⁹ He who tills his ground will have plenty bread, but he who follows fantasies will have plenty of poverty.

²⁰ A man of faithfulness has abundant blessings, but he who hurries to become rich will not go unpunished.

²¹ ⌞Showing partiality⌟¹ is not good, and over a morsel of bread, a strong man will do wrong.

1. Literally “Recognizing faces”

²² He who hurries for wealth is ⌞a man with an evil eye⌟,¹ but he does not know that poverty will come upon him.

1. Literally “a man of evil of eye”

²³ He who rebukes a person will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with the tongue.

²⁴ He who robs his father and his mother and says, “There is no crime,” is partner to a man who corrupts.

²⁵ The ⌞greedy person⌟¹ will stir up strife, but he who trusts in Yahweh will be enriched.

1. Literally “wide soul”

²⁶ He who trusts in his own heart¹ is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be saved.

1. Or “mind,” or “sense”

²⁷ For he who gives to the poor, there is no lacking, but for he¹ who turns his eyes, there are many curses.

1. Hebrew “those”

²⁸ With the rising of the wicked, humankind will be hidden, and with their perishing, the righteous will multiply.