¹Don’t deprive a poor person’s life,

and don’t avoid looking

the needy in the eyes.

²Don’t grieve a hungry person,

and don’t make a person

in dire straits angry.

³Don’t trouble an angry person,

and don’t put off giving to the needy.

⁴Don’t keep rejecting the plea

of someone in distress,

and don’t turn your face

away from the poor.

⁵Don’t turn your

eyes away from someone begging,

and don’t give anyone an opportunity

to curse you.

⁶If some curse you

in their bitter circumstances,

the one who made them

will hear their prayer.

⁷Behave yourself pleasantly in the assembly,

and bow your head

to an influential person.

⁸Listen to the poor,

and reply with peaceful

and gentle speech.

⁹Set the wronged free

from the hand of the wrongdoer,

and don’t be timid

when you give judgment.

¹⁰Be like a parent to orphans,

and take care of their mothers

as you would your own wife or husband.

Do this, and you will be like a child

of the Most High,

and God will love you

more than your own mother does.

Submission to Wisdom

¹¹Wisdom will exalt[#4.11 Heb teaches]

her children

and take hold of those who seek her.

¹²Whoever loves her loves life.

Those who wake early for her

will be filled with gladness.

¹³Those who possess her will inherit glory.

The Lord blesses the place

where they enter.

¹⁴Those who serve her will serve

the holy one;

the Lord loves those who love her.

¹⁵Whoever obeys her will judge nations.

Whoever is devoted to her

will live with confidence.

¹⁶If they persevere in faith,

they will inherit her,

and their descendants will possess her.

¹⁷At first she will walk

in twists and turns with them.

She will bring fear and dread upon them,

and she will torture them

with her discipline

¹⁹If they go astray,

she will leave them behind

and hand them over to their downfall.

Shame and speech

²⁰Watch closely for the right opportunity,

be on guard against evil,

and don’t be ashamed of yourself.

²¹There’s a kind of shame

that brings about sin,

and there’s a kind of shame

that brings good reputation and favor.

²²Don’t show partiality to your own hurt,

and don’t show respect

to your own downfall.

²³Don’t keep from speaking

in a time of need,

²⁴for wisdom will show itself

in one’s speech,

²⁵Don’t contradict the truth,

but don’t be ashamed

when you don’t know the answer.

²⁶Don’t be ashamed to confess your sins,

and don’t force the flow of a river.

²⁷Don’t lower yourself before a fool,

and don’t show partiality

toward the powerful.

²⁸Fight to the death on behalf of truth,

and the Lord God will fight for you.

²⁹Don’t be bold to speak,

but sluggish and slack

when it comes to action.

³⁰Don’t be like a lion in your house,

putting on airs

among your household slaves.

³¹Don’t stretch your hand out

to receive and withdraw it

when it is time to pay back.