²³ who ^(A)acquit the guilty for a bribe,
    and deprive the innocent of his right!

² to turn aside the needy from justice
    and ^(A)to rob the poor of my people of their right,
that widows may be their spoil,
    and that they may make the fatherless their prey!

¹⁵ He who ^(A)justifies the wicked and he who ^(B)condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.

²¹ They ^(A)band together against the life of the righteous
    and condemn ^(B)the innocent to death.^[a]

^3 (A)Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well;
    ^(B)the prince and ^(C)the judge ask for a bribe,
and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul;
    thus they weave it together.

^11 (A)Its heads give judgment for a bribe;
    ^(B)its priests teach for a price;
    ^(C)its prophets practice divination for money;
^(D)yet they lean on the Lord and ^(E)say,
    “Is not the Lord in the midst of us?
    ^(F)No disaster shall come upon us.”

²³ Your princes are rebels
    and companions of thieves.
Everyone ^(A)loves a bribe
    and runs after gifts.
^(B)They do not bring justice to the fatherless,
    and the widow's cause does not come to them.

^4 (A)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
    it is not for kings ^(B)to drink wine,
    or for rulers to take ^(C)strong drink,
⁵ lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
    and ^(D)pervert the rights of all the afflicted.