New English [1970], THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE) [word count] [B16000].
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1 My son, do not cheat a poor man of his livelihood
or keep him waiting with hungry eyes.
2 Do not tantalize a starving man
or drive him to desperation in his need.
3 If a man is desperate, do not add to his troubles
or keep him waiting for the charity he asks.
4 Do not reject the appeal of a man in distress
or turn your back on the poor;
5 when he begs for alms, do not look the other way
and so give him reason to curse you,
6 for if he curses you in his bitterness,
his Maker will listen to his prayer.
7 Make yourself popular in the assembly,
and show deference to the great.
8 When a poor man speaks to you, give him your attention
and answer his greeting politely.
9 Rescue the downtrodden from the oppressor,
-- --
The ways of wisdom
and be firm when giving a verdict.
10 Be a father to orphans
and like a husband to their mother;
then the Most High will call you his son,
and his love for you will be greater than a mother's.
11 Wisdom raises her sons to greatness
and cares for those who seek her.
12 To love her is to love life;
to rise early for her sake is to be filled with joy.
13 The man who attains her will win recognition;
the Lord's blessing rests upon every place she enters.
14 To serve her is to serve the Holy One,
and the Lord loves those who love her.
15 Her dutiful servant will give laws to the heathen,
and because he listens to her, his home will be secure.
16 If he trusts her, he will possess her
and bequeath her to his descendants.
17 At first she will lead him by devious ways,
filling him with craven fears.
Her discipline will be a torment to him,
and her decrees a hard test
until he trusts her with all his heart. note
18 Then she will come straight back to him again and gladden him,
and reveal her secrets to him.
19 But if he strays from her, she will desert him
and abandon him to his fate.
20 Watch your chance and defend yourself against wrong,
and do not be over-modest in your own cause;
21 for there is a modesty that leads to sin,
as well as a modesty that brings honour and favour.
22 Do not be untrue to yourself in deference to another,
or so diffident that you fail in your duty.
23 Never remain silent when a word might put things right,
24 for wisdom shows itself by speech,
-- --
The ways of wisdom
and a man's education must find expression in words.
25 Do not argue against the truth,
but have a proper sense of your own ignorance.
26 Never be ashamed to admit your mistakes,
nor try to swim against the current.
27 Do not let yourself be a doormat to a fool
or curry favour with the powerful.
28 Fight to the death for truth,
and the Lord God will fight on your side.
29 Do not be forward in your speech
but slack and neglectful in your work.
30 Do not play the lion in your home
or swagger note among your servants.
31 Do not keep your hand open to receive
and close it when it is your turn to give.
New English [1970], THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE) [word count] [B16000].
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