The Boldness of the Righteous

1The wicked flee and no one is pursuing,

and the righteous are confident as a young lion.

2In the transgression of the land, many are its princes;

and with one man understanding and knowing, so it will last long.

3A man being poor and oppressing the lowly ones

is like a rain beating down and there is no bread.

4Those abandoning instruction praise a wicked one,

and those guarding instruction contend with them.

5Men of evil do not understand justice,

and those seeking YHWH understand all.

6Better one being poor walking in his integrity,

than one crooked in his ways, and he is rich.

7One watching over the law is a discerning son,

and one associating with gluttons disgraces his father.

8The one multiplying his wealth by interest and usury

gathers it for one showing favor to lowly ones.

9One turning aside his ear from hearing instruction,

even his prayer is an abomination.

10One causing the upright to stray onto a path of evil,

into his pit he himself will fall,

and the blameless ones will inherit good things.

11A rich man is wise in his own eyes,

and a poor one being discerning will search him out.

12In the rejoicing of the righteous is great beauty,

and in the rising up of wicked ones, a man hides himself.

13One covering his transgressions will not prosper,

and one confessing and forsaking them will find mercy.

14Blessed is the man being reverent continually,

and the one hardening his heart will fall into distress.

15A roaring lion and a rushing bear,

is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

16A leader lacking in understanding is also abundant of oppressions;

one hating dishonest gain prolongs days.

17A man pressed down by the bloodshed of a soul

will flee into the Pit,†

with none grabbing hold of him.

18One walking blamelessly will be saved,

and one crooked in his ways will fall at once.

19The one working his land will be filled with bread,

and the one pursuing empty things will be filled with poverty.

20A man of faithfulness has an abundance of blessings,

and the one hurrying to be rich will not be acquitted.

21To regard faces is not good,

and over a morsel of bread a strong man will transgress.

22A man of an evil eye† is panicked for wealth,

and he does not know that poverty will come upon him.

23The one rebuking a man, afterward he will find favor

more than one being smooth of tongue.

24One robbing his father or his mother and saying, “There is no transgression,”

he is a companion to the man bringing ruin.

25Being wide of appetite stirs up strife,

and one trusting upon YHWH will be made fat.

26The one trusting in his heart, he is a fool,

and the one walking in wisdom, he will be delivered.

27One giving to the poor will not lack,

and one hiding his eyes has an abundance of curses.

28With the rising up of the wicked, a man hides himself,

and with their perishing the righteous multiply.