¹ The wicked flee though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
² When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.
³ A ruler who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.
⁴ Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
but those who heed it resist them.
⁵ Evildoers do not understand what is right,
but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.
⁶ Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than the rich whose ways are perverse.
⁷ A discerning son heeds instruction,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.
⁸ Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor
amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.
⁹ If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
even their prayers are detestable.
¹⁰ Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
will fall into their own trap,
but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.
¹¹ The rich are wise in their own eyes;
one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.
¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.
¹³ Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
¹⁴ Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.
¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
¹⁶ A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.
¹⁷ Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
will seek refuge in the grave;
let no one hold them back.
¹⁸ The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,
but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.
¹⁹ Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.
²⁰ A faithful person will be richly blessed,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.
²¹ To show partiality is not good-
yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.
²² The stingy are eager to get rich
and are unaware that poverty awaits them.
²³ Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
rather than one who has a flattering tongue.
²⁴ Whoever robs their father or mother
and says, “It’s not wrong,”
is partner to one who destroys.
²⁵ The greedy stir up conflict,
but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.
²⁶ Those who trust in themselves are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
²⁷ Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.
²⁸ When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;
but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.