27  ^rDo not withhold good from those to whom it is due,¹

when it is in your power to do it.

28  ^sDo not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,

tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.

29  ^tDo not plan evil against your neighbor,

who ^udwells trustingly beside you.

30  ^vDo not contend with a man for no reason,

when he has done you no harm.

31  ^wDo not envy ^xa man of violence

and do not choose any of his ways,

32  for ^ythe devious person is an abomination to the Lord,

but the upright are ^zin his confidence.

2  ^fTreasures gained by wickedness do not profit,

^gbut righteousness delivers from death.

1  ^aA false balance is an abomination to the Lord,

^bbut a just weight is his delight.

3  ^tWhoever guards his mouth preserves his life;

^uhe who opens wide his lips ^vcomes to ruin.

11  ^gWealth gained hastily¹ will dwindle,

but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

2  Whoever ^hwalks in uprightness fears the Lord,

but he who is ⁱdevious in his ways despises him.

5  ^lA faithful witness does not lie,

but ^ma false witness breathes out lies.

27  Whoever is ^vgreedy for unjust gain ^wtroubles his own household,

but he who hates ^xbribes will live.

6  By ^tsteadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,

and by ^uthe fear of the Lord one ^vturns away from evil.

8  ^xBetter is a little with righteousness

than great revenues with injustice.

11  ^bA just balance and scales are the Lord’s;

all the weights in the bag are his work.

2  A servant who deals wisely will rule over ⁿa son who acts shamefully

and ^owill share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

8  ^yA bribe is like a magic¹ stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;

wherever he turns he prospers.

23  The wicked accepts ^qa bribe in secret¹

to ^rpervert the ways of justice.

21  ⁱAn inheritance gained hastily in the beginning

will not be blessed in the end.

3  ^bTo do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

6  ^hThe getting of treasures by a lying tongue

is a ⁱfleeting ^jvapor and a ^ksnare of death.¹

7  The violence of the wicked will ^lsweep them away,

because they refuse to do what is just.

8  The way of the guilty ^mis crooked,

but the conduct of the pure is upright.

22  ^uDo not rob the poor, because he is poor,

or ^vcrush the afflicted at ^wthe gate,

23  for ^xthe Lord will plead their cause

and rob of life those who rob them.

^bPartiality in judging is not good.

24  Whoever ^csays to the wicked, “You are in the right,”

^dwill be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,

25  but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,

and a good blessing will come upon them.

26  Whoever gives an honest answer

kisses the lips.

3  ^fA poor man who oppresses the poor

is a beating rain that leaves no food.

6  ^kBetter is a poor man who ^lwalks in his integrity

than a rich man who is ^lcrooked in his ways.

8  Whoever multiplies his wealth ⁿby interest and profit¹

^ogathers it for him who is ^pgenerous to the poor.

8  ^qOpen your mouth for the mute,

for the rights of all who are destitute.¹

9  Open your mouth, ^rjudge righteously,

^sdefend the rights of ^tthe poor and needy.