The Boldness of the Righteous

The chapter opens by contrasting the wicked, who flee even without pursuit, with the righteous, who are bold as a lion. It then ties political instability to rebellion, exposes oppressive leadership and legal compromise, and concludes by showing that the one who seeks the LORD and walks in integrity sees more clearly than the crooked rich.

T¹he wicked flee when no one pursues, ²A land in rebellion has many rulers, ³A destitute leader who oppresses the poor ⁴Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, ⁵Evil men do not understand justice, ⁶Better a poor man who walks with integrity

A discerning son keeps the law, but foolish companionship shames his father; wealth gathered by exploitative increase will ultimately benefit one who is kind to the poor. The sayings then warn that rejecting God's law corrupts prayer itself, that seducers into evil fall into their own trap, and that when the righteous rise there is glory, whereas wicked ascendancy drives people into hiding.

⁷A discerning son keeps the law, ⁸He who increases his wealth by interest and usury ⁹Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, ¹⁰He who leads the upright along the path of evil will fall into his own pit, ¹¹A rich man is wise in his own eyes, ¹²When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,

Concealing sin prevents flourishing, but confession and forsaking invite mercy, while a reverent heart is blessed and a hardened one falls into trouble. These sayings then depict wicked rulers as predatory beasts, rebuke oppressive leaders who lack understanding, and contrast bloodguilt and crookedness with the safety granted to integrity.

¹³He who conceals his sins will not prosper, ¹⁴Blessed is the man who is always reverent, ¹⁵Like a roaring lion or a charging bear ¹⁶A leader who lacks judgment is also a great oppressor, ¹⁷A man burdened by bloodguilt will flee into the Pit; ¹⁸He who walks with integrity will be kept safe,

Diligent work brings bread, but fantasies bring poverty, and faithful people are blessed while those in haste to get rich do not go unpunished. The sayings add that partiality is evil, miserly ambition blinds itself to coming want, honest rebuke wins more lasting favor than flattery, and theft from one's parents allies a person with destroyers.

¹⁹The one who works his land will have plenty of food, ²⁰A faithful man will abound with blessings, ²¹To show partiality is not good, ²²A stingy man hastens after wealth ²³He who rebukes a man will later find more favor ²⁴He who robs his father or mother, saying, “It is not wrong,”

The chapter closes by opposing greed and self-trust to reliance on the LORD and practical generosity toward the poor. It ends with another public contrast: when the wicked rise people hide, but when they perish the righteous multiply.

²⁵A greedy man stirs up strife, ²⁶He who trusts in himself is a fool, ²⁷Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, ²⁸When the wicked come to power, people hide themselves;