1
Wise judges will instruct their people, and an intelligent person's rule will be orderly.
2
As the people's judges are, so will their officials be, and as the ruler of a city is, so also are all of its inhabitants.
3
An uneducated king will ruin his people, and a city is founded on the intelligence of its rulers.
4
Authority over the earth belongs to the Lord, and he will identify the person who is right for the time.
5
A people's success belongs to the Lord, and he will give glory to the legal expert.
On pride
6 Don't become angry with your neighbor over every wrong, and don't do anything that offers a flagrant insult.
7
Arrogance is hateful to God and people, and injustice is wrong to both.
8
Sovereignty passes from nation to nation because of injustice, pride, and money.
9
How can dust and ashes be arrogant? Even when they are alive, human bodies are decaying.
10
A long illness mocks a doctor; today's king will die tomorrow.
11
When people are dead, they inherit maggots, vermin, and worms.
12
Human arrogance begins when people rebel against the Lord, and their hearts rebel against the one who made them.
13
The beginning of arrogance is sin, and those who cling to it will pour out blasphemy. For this reason the Lord brings calamities upon them, and he ruins them completely.
14
The Lord destroyed the thrones of rulers, and he raised up the gentle in their place.
15
The Lord plucked up the roots of nations, and he planted the humble in their place.
16
The Lord ruined the lands of the nations, and he leveled them to their very foundations.
17
He removed some people and destroyed them, and he erased their memory from the earth.
18
Humans were not created to be arrogant, nor were those born of women made to indulge in anger.
Honor and humility
19 What offspring are honorable? Human offspring. What offspring are honorable? Those who fear the Lord. What offspring are dishonorable? Human offspring. What offspring are dishonorable? Those who violate the commandments.
20
Among brothers and sisters, their leader is honored, and those who fear the Lord are honored in his sight.
22
The rich, the heroes, and the poor— their pride is the fear of the Lord.
23
It's not right to dishonor someone who is intelligent but poor, and it's not proper to give glory to a sinful person.
24
The official, the judge, and the ruler will be glorified, but none of them are greater than the one who fears the Lord.
25
Free people will serve the wise person who has been enslaved, and a knowledgeable person won't complain.
26
Don't show off your wisdom when you do your work, and don't magnify yourself when you have difficulties.
27
Those who work and have what they need in abundance are better than those who walk around glorifying themselves but lack bread.
28
My child, hold yourself in honor with gentleness, and give yourself honor as you deserve it.
29
Who will justify those who sin against themselves? And who will honor those who bring dishonor to their own lives?
30
Poor people will be honored because of their knowledge, and rich people will be honored because of their wealth.
31
Whoever is honored in poverty, how much more will he or she be honored in wealth? And whoever is disreputable in wealth, how much more will he or she be disreputable in poverty?