28 The wicked flee^(A) though no one pursues,^(B)
    but the righteous are as bold as a lion.^(C)

² When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
    but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

³ A ruler^[a] who oppresses the poor
    is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

⁴ Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
    but those who heed it resist them.

⁵ Evildoers do not understand what is right,
    but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

⁶ Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than the rich whose ways are perverse.^(D)

⁷ A discerning son heeds instruction,
    but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.^(E)

⁸ Whoever increases wealth by taking interest^(F) or profit from the poor
    amasses it for another,^(G) who will be kind to the poor.^(H)

⁹ If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
    even their prayers are detestable.^(I)

¹⁰ Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
    will fall into their own trap,^(J)
    but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

¹¹ The rich are wise in their own eyes;
    one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;^(K)
    but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.^(L)

¹³ Whoever conceals their sins^(M) does not prosper,
    but the one who confesses^(N) and renounces them finds mercy.^(O)

¹⁴ Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
    but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
    is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

¹⁶ A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
    but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

¹⁷ Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
    will seek refuge^(P) in the grave;
    let no one hold them back.

¹⁸ The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,^(Q)
    but the one whose ways are perverse will fall^(R) into the pit.^[b]

¹⁹ Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.^(S)

²⁰ A faithful person will be richly blessed,
    but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.^(T)

²¹ To show partiality^(U) is not good^(V)—
    yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.^(W)

²² The stingy are eager to get rich
    and are unaware that poverty awaits them.^(X)

²³ Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
    rather than one who has a flattering tongue.^(Y)

²⁴ Whoever robs their father or mother^(Z)
    and says, “It’s not wrong,”
    is partner to one who destroys.^(AA)

²⁵ The greedy stir up conflict,^(AB)
    but those who trust in the Lord^(AC) will prosper.

²⁶ Those who trust in themselves are fools,^(AD)
    but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.^(AE)

²⁷ Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,^(AF)
    but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.^(AG)

²⁸ When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;^(AH)
    but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.

29 Whoever remains stiff-necked^(AI) after many rebukes
    will suddenly be destroyed^(AJ)—without remedy.^(AK)

² When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;^(AL)
    when the wicked rule,^(AM) the people groan.^(AN)

³ A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,^(AO)
    but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.^(AP)

⁴ By justice a king gives a country stability,^(AQ)
    but those who are greedy for^[c] bribes tear it down.

⁵ Those who flatter their neighbors
    are spreading nets for their feet.^(AR)

⁶ Evildoers are snared by their own sin,^(AS)
    but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.

⁷ The righteous care about justice for the poor,^(AT)
    but the wicked have no such concern.

⁸ Mockers stir up a city,
    but the wise turn away anger.^(AU)

⁹ If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
    the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

¹⁰ The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
    and seek to kill the upright.^(AV)

¹¹ Fools give full vent to their rage,^(AW)
    but the wise bring calm in the end.^(AX)

¹² If a ruler^(AY) listens to lies,
    all his officials become wicked.^(AZ)

¹³ The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
    The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.^(BA)

¹⁴ If a king judges the poor with fairness,
    his throne will be established forever.^(BB)

¹⁵ A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
    but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.^(BC)

¹⁶ When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
    but the righteous will see their downfall.^(BD)

¹⁷ Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
    they will bring you the delights you desire.^(BE)

¹⁸ Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
    but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.^(BF)

¹⁹ Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
    though they understand, they will not respond.

²⁰ Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.^(BG)

²¹ A servant pampered from youth
    will turn out to be insolent.

²² An angry person stirs up conflict,
    and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.^(BH)

²³ Pride brings a person low,^(BI)
    but the lowly in spirit gain honor.^(BJ)

²⁴ The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
    they are put under oath and dare not testify.^(BK)

²⁵ Fear^(BL) of man will prove to be a snare,
    but whoever trusts in the Lord^(BM) is kept safe.^(BN)

²⁶ Many seek an audience with a ruler,^(BO)
    but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.^(BP)

²⁷ The righteous detest the dishonest;
    the wicked detest the upright.^(BQ)

This man’s utterance to Ithiel:

“I am weary, God,
    but I can prevail.^[d]
2 Surely I am only a brute, not a man;
    I do not have human understanding.
³ I have not learned wisdom,
    nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.^(BS)
4 Who has gone up^(BT) to heaven and come down?
    Whose hands^(BU) have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters^(BV) in a cloak?^(BW)
    Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name,^(BX) and what is the name of his son?
    Surely you know!

⁵ “Every word of God is flawless;^(BY)
    he is a shield^(BZ) to those who take refuge in him.
⁶ Do not add^(CA) to his words,
    or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

⁷ “Two things I ask of you, Lord;
    do not refuse me before I die:
⁸ Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
    give me neither poverty nor riches,
    but give me only my daily bread.^(CB)
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown^(CC) you
    and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’^(CD)
Or I may become poor and steal,
    and so dishonor the name of my God.^(CE)

¹⁰ “Do not slander a servant to their master,
    or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.

¹¹ “There are those who curse their fathers
    and do not bless their mothers;^(CF)
12 those who are pure in their own eyes^(CG)
    and yet are not cleansed of their filth;^(CH)
13 those whose eyes are ever so haughty,^(CI)
    whose glances are so disdainful;
¹⁴ those whose teeth^(CJ) are swords
    and whose jaws are set with knives^(CK)
to devour^(CL) the poor^(CM) from the earth
    and the needy from among mankind.^(CN)

¹⁵ “The leech has two daughters.
    ‘Give! Give!’ they cry.

“There are three things that are never satisfied,^(CO)
    four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
¹⁶ the grave,^(CP) the barren womb,
    land, which is never satisfied with water,
    and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’

¹⁷ “The eye that mocks^(CQ) a father,
    that scorns an aged mother,
will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley,
    will be eaten by the vultures.^(CR)

¹⁸ “There are three things that are too amazing for me,
    four that I do not understand:
¹⁹ the way of an eagle in the sky,
    the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
    and the way of a man with a young woman.

²⁰ “This is the way of an adulterous woman:
    She eats and wipes her mouth
    and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’^(CS)

²¹ “Under three things the earth trembles,
    under four it cannot bear up:
²² a servant who becomes king,^(CT)
    a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,
²³ a contemptible woman who gets married,
    and a servant who displaces her mistress.

²⁴ “Four things on earth are small,
    yet they are extremely wise:
²⁵ Ants are creatures of little strength,
    yet they store up their food in the summer;^(CU)
26 hyraxes^(CV) are creatures of little power,
    yet they make their home in the crags;
²⁷ locusts^(CW) have no king,
    yet they advance together in ranks;
²⁸ a lizard can be caught with the hand,
    yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

²⁹ “There are three things that are stately in their stride,
    four that move with stately bearing:
³⁰ a lion, mighty among beasts,
    who retreats before nothing;
³¹ a strutting rooster, a he-goat,
    and a king secure against revolt.^[e]

³² “If you play the fool and exalt yourself,
    or if you plan evil,
    clap your hand over your mouth!^(CX)
33 For as churning cream produces butter,
    and as twisting the nose produces blood,
    so stirring up anger produces strife.”

² Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
    Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!^(CZ)
3 Do not spend your strength^[f] on women,
    your vigor on those who ruin kings.^(DA)

⁴ It is not for kings, Lemuel—
    it is not for kings to drink wine,^(DB)
    not for rulers to crave beer,
⁵ lest they drink^(DC) and forget what has been decreed,^(DD)
    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
⁶ Let beer be for those who are perishing,
    wine^(DE) for those who are in anguish!
⁷ Let them drink^(DF) and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

⁸ Speak^(DG) up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
    for the rights of all who are destitute.
⁹ Speak up and judge fairly;
    defend the rights of the poor and needy.^(DH)