22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
    to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.^(A)

² Rich and poor have this in common:
    The Lord is the Maker of them all.^(B)

³ The prudent see danger and take refuge,^(C)
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.^(D)

⁴ Humility is the fear of the Lord;
    its wages are riches and honor^(E) and life.^(F)

⁵ In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,^(G)
    but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

⁶ Start^(H) children off on the way they should go,^(I)
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.^(J)

⁷ The rich rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is slave to the lender.

⁸ Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,^(K)
    and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.^(L)

⁹ The generous will themselves be blessed,^(M)
    for they share their food with the poor.^(N)

¹⁰ Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
    quarrels and insults are ended.^(O)

¹¹ One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace
    will have the king for a friend.^(P)

¹² The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.

¹³ The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!^(Q)
    I’ll be killed in the public square!”

¹⁴ The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;^(R)
    a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.^(S)

¹⁵ Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.^(T)

¹⁶ One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
    and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

“Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce^(A)
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors
    did I sell^(B) you?
Because of your sins^(C) you were sold;^(D)
    because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
² When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?^(E)
Was my arm too short^(F) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength^(G) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke^(H) I dry up the sea,^(I)
    I turn rivers into a desert;^(J)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
³ I clothe the heavens with darkness^(K)
    and make sackcloth^(L) its covering.”

⁴ The Sovereign Lord^(M) has given me a well-instructed tongue,^(N)
    to know the word that sustains the weary.^(O)
He wakens me morning by morning,^(P)
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.^(Q)
5 The Sovereign Lord^(R) has opened my ears;^(S)
    I have not been rebellious,^(T)
    I have not turned away.
⁶ I offered my back to those who beat^(U) me,
    my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;^(V)
I did not hide my face
    from mocking and spitting.^(W)
7 Because the Sovereign Lord^(X) helps^(Y) me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,^(Z)
    and I know I will not be put to shame.^(AA)
8 He who vindicates^(AB) me is near.^(AC)
    Who then will bring charges against me?^(AD)
    Let us face each other!^(AE)
Who is my accuser?
    Let him confront me!
⁹ It is the Sovereign Lord^(AF) who helps^(AG) me.
    Who will condemn^(AH) me?
They will all wear out like a garment;
    the moths^(AI) will eat them up.

¹⁰ Who among you fears^(AJ) the Lord
    and obeys^(AK) the word of his servant?^(AL)
Let the one who walks in the dark,
    who has no light,^(AM)
trust^(AN) in the name of the Lord
    and rely on their God.
¹¹ But now, all you who light fires
    and provide yourselves with flaming torches,^(AO)
go, walk in the light of your fires^(AP)
    and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:^(AQ)
    You will lie down in torment.^(AR)

⁴ “Listen to me, my people;^(BF)
    hear me,^(BG) my nation:
Instruction^(BH) will go out from me;
    my justice^(BI) will become a light to the nations.^(BJ)
5 My righteousness draws near speedily,
    my salvation^(BK) is on the way,^(BL)
    and my arm^(BM) will bring justice to the nations.
The islands^(BN) will look to me
    and wait in hope^(BO) for my arm.
⁶ Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
    look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke,^(BP)
    the earth will wear out like a garment^(BQ)
    and its inhabitants die like flies.
But my salvation^(BR) will last forever,^(BS)
    my righteousness will never fail.^(BT)

⁷ “Hear me, you who know what is right,^(BU)
    you people who have taken my instruction to heart:^(BV)
Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals
    or be terrified by their insults.^(BW)
8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment;^(BX)
    the worm^(BY) will devour them like wool.
But my righteousness will last forever,^(BZ)
    my salvation through all generations.”

⁹ Awake, awake,^(CA) arm^(CB) of the Lord,
    clothe yourself with strength!^(CC)
Awake, as in days gone by,
    as in generations of old.^(CD)
Was it not you who cut Rahab^(CE) to pieces,
    who pierced that monster^(CF) through?
¹⁰ Was it not you who dried up the sea,^(CG)
    the waters of the great deep,^(CH)
who made a road in the depths of the sea^(CI)
    so that the redeemed^(CJ) might cross over?
¹¹ Those the Lord has rescued^(CK) will return.
    They will enter Zion with singing;^(CL)
    everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy^(CM) will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.^(CN)

¹² “I, even I, am he who comforts^(CO) you.
    Who are you that you fear^(CP) mere mortals,^(CQ)
    human beings who are but grass,^(CR)
13 that you forget^(CS) the Lord your Maker,^(CT)
    who stretches out the heavens^(CU)
    and who lays the foundations of the earth,
that you live in constant terror^(CV) every day
    because of the wrath of the oppressor,
    who is bent on destruction?
For where is the wrath of the oppressor?^(CW)
14     The cowering prisoners will soon be set free;^(CX)
they will not die in their dungeon,
    nor will they lack bread.^(CY)
15 For I am the Lord your God,
    who stirs up the sea^(CZ) so that its waves roar^(DA)—
    the Lord Almighty^(DB) is his name.
¹⁶ I have put my words in your mouth^(DC)
    and covered you with the shadow of my hand^(DD)—
I who set the heavens in place,
    who laid the foundations of the earth,^(DE)
    and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.^(DF)’”

²¹ Therefore hear this, you afflicted^(DX) one,
    made drunk,^(DY) but not with wine.
²² This is what your Sovereign Lord says,
    your God, who defends^(DZ) his people:
“See, I have taken out of your hand
    the cup^(EA) that made you stagger;
from that cup, the goblet of my wrath,
    you will never drink again.
²³ I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,^(EB)
    who said to you,
    ‘Fall prostrate^(EC) that we may walk^(ED) on you.’
And you made your back like the ground,
    like a street to be walked on.”^(EE)