⁶ he says,
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
    to raise up the tribes of Jacob
    and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

⁸ Thus says the Lord:
In a time of favor I have answered you,
    on a day of salvation I have helped you;
I have kept you and given you
    as a covenant to the people,^[a]
to establish the land,
    to apportion the desolate heritages;
⁹ saying to the prisoners, “Come out,”
    to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.”
They shall feed along the ways,
    on all the bare heights^[b] shall be their pasture;
¹⁰ they shall not hunger or thirst,
    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down,
for he who has pity on them will lead them,
    and by springs of water will guide them.

³ To do righteousness and justice
    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
    the lamp of the wicked—are sin.
⁵ The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
    but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.
⁶ The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
    is a fleeting vapor and a snare^[a] of death.
⁷ The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
    because they refuse to do what is just.
⁸ The way of the guilty is crooked,
    but the conduct of the pure is right.
⁹ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
    than in a house shared with a contentious wife.
¹⁰ The souls of the wicked desire evil;
    their neighbors find no mercy in their eyes.
¹¹ When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;
    when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge.
¹² The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
    he casts the wicked down to ruin.
¹³ If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,
    you will cry out and not be heard.
¹⁴ A gift in secret averts anger;
    and a concealed bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
¹⁵ When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous,
    but dismay to evildoers.
¹⁶ Whoever wanders from the way of understanding
    will rest in the assembly of the dead.
¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;
    whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.
¹⁸ The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
    and the faithless for the upright.
¹⁹ It is better to live in a desert land
    than with a contentious and fretful wife.
²⁰ Precious treasure remains^[b] in the house of the wise,
    but the fool devours it.
²¹ Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
    will find life^[c] and honor.