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.