¹The wicked flee when no one pursues,[#Lev 26:17; Ps 53:5]

but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

²When a land transgresses, it has many rulers,

but with a man of understanding and knowledge, the state thereof will be prolonged.

³A poor man who oppresses the poor

is like a sweeping rain which leaves no crops.

⁴Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,[#1Ki 18:18; Mt 3:7]

but those who keep the law contend with them.

⁵Evil men do not understand justice,[#Ps 92:6]

But those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

⁶Better is the poor man who walks in his integrity

than a rich man who is perverse in his ways.

⁷He who keeps the law is a wise son,

but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father.

⁸He who increases his wealth by usury and extortion[#Lev 25:36; Pr 13:22]

gathers it for him who has pity on the poor.

⁹He who turns away his ear from hearing the law,

even his prayer is an abomination.

¹⁰Whoever causes the righteous to go astray in an evil way,

he himself will fall into his own pit,

but the blameless will inherit good.

¹¹The rich man is wise in his own eyes,[#Pr 26:16]

but the poor man who has understanding sees through him.

¹²When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,

but when the wicked prevail, men hide themselves.

¹³He who conceals his sins will not prosper,

but he who confesses and forsakes them will find mercy.

¹⁴Blessed is the man who is always reverent,[#Pr 23:17; Isa 66:2]

but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

¹⁵Like a roaring lion or a charging bear[#1Pe 5:8]

is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

¹⁶A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,[#Isa 3:12]

but he who hates ill-gotten gain will prolong his days.

¹⁷If a man is burdened with the blood of another,

he will be a fugitive until death;

let no one help him.

¹⁸He who walks blamelessly will be saved,

but he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.

¹⁹He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,

but he who chases empty pursuits will have poverty enough.

²⁰A faithful man will abound with blessings,

but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

²¹To show partiality is not good,[#Pr 18:5]

but for a piece of bread will a man transgress.

²²He who hastens to be rich has an evil eye,[#Pr 23:6; 28:20]

and does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

²³He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor

than he who flatters with his tongue.

²⁴He who robs his father or his mother[#Pr 19:26]

and says, “It is no transgression,”

is a companion to a destroyer.

²⁵He who is greedy stirs up strife,[#Pr 11:25]

but he who trusts in the Lord will prosper.

²⁶He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,[#Pr 3:5]

but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

²⁷He who gives to the poor will not lack,[#Dt 15:7; Pr 19:17]

but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.

²⁸When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;[#Job 24:4; Pr 28:12]

but when they perish, the righteous thrive.