Proverbs

¹⁹The evil men bow before the good, and the wicked [stand suppliantly] at the gates of the [uncompromisingly] righteous. ²⁰The poor is hated even by his own neighbor, but the rich has many friends. ²¹He who despises his neighbor sins [against God, his fellowman, and himself], but happy (blessed and fortunate) is he who is kind and merciful to the poor. ²²Do they not err who devise evil and wander from the way of life? But loving-kindness and mercy, loyalty and faithfulness, shall be to those who devise good. ²³In all labor there is profit, but idle talk leads only to poverty. ²⁴The crown of the wise is their wealth of Wisdom, but the foolishness of [self-confident] fools is [nothing but] folly. ²⁵A truthful witness saves lives, but a deceitful witness speaks lies [and endangers lives].