⁷ The righteous know the rights of the poor;
    the wicked have no such understanding.^(A)

¹⁶ I was a father to the needy,
    and I championed the cause of the stranger.^(A)

¹ Happy are those who consider the poor;^[a]
    the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.^(A)

¹³ If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,
    you will cry out and not be heard.^(A)

⁸ Speak out for those who cannot speak,
    for the rights of all the destitute.^[a](A)
9 Speak out; judge righteously;
    defend the rights of the poor and needy.^(B)

¹⁵ Are you a king
    because you compete in cedar?
Did not your father eat and drink
    and do justice and righteousness?
    Then it was well with him.^(A)
16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy;
    then it was well.
Is not this to know me?
    says the Lord.^(B)
17 But your eyes and heart
    are only on your dishonest gain,
for shedding innocent blood,
    and for practicing oppression and violence.^(C)

²⁸     they have grown fat and sleek.
They know no limits in deeds of wickedness;
    they do not judge with justice
the cause of the orphan, to make it prosper,
    and they do not defend the rights of the needy.^(A)