16
He that falsely challengeth a poor man, to increase his own riches (He who oppresseth the poor, to increase his own riches), shall give to a richer man, and he shall be needy.
17
My son, bow down thine ear, and hear thou the words of wise men; but set thou the heart to my teaching. (My son, bow down thy ear, and listen thou to the words of the wise; yea, set thou thy heart unto my teaching, or my instruction.)
18
That shall be fair to thee, when thou hast kept it in thine heart, and it shall flow again in thy lips. (It shall please thee when thou hast kept it in thy heart, and it shall flow freely from thy lips.)
19
That thy trust be in the Lord; wherefore and I have showed it to thee today. (So that thy trust be in the Lord; and so I have showed it to thee today.)
20
Lo! I have described it in three manners1, in thoughts and knowing,
21
(so) that I should show to thee the firmness and speeches of truth; to answer (out) of these things to them that sent (unto) thee.
22
Do thou not violence to a poor man, for he is poor; neither defoul thou a needy man in the gate. (Do not thou do violence to a poor person, because he is poor; and do not take advantage of a needy person in court/at the city gates.)
23
For the Lord shall deem his cause, and he shall torment them that tormented his soul. (For the Lord shall judge his case, and he shall torment those who tormented him.)
24
Do not thou be (a) friend to a wrathful man, neither go thou with a wrathful man;
25
lest peradventure thou learn his ways, and take cause of stumbling to thy soul. (lest perhaps thou learn his ways, and bring a cause of stumbling unto thy soul.)
26
Do not thou be with them that fasten, or bind, their hands, and that proffer themselves to be borrows for debts; (Do not thou be with those who bind their hands, and who offer themselves as pledges for other people's debts;)