More words of wisdom from Proverbs.
¹⁸ The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,
but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.
¹⁹ Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.
²⁰ A faithful person will be richly blessed,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.
²¹ To show partiality is not good—
yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.
²² The stingy are eager to get rich
and are unaware that poverty awaits them.
²³ Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
rather than one who has a flattering tongue.
²⁴ Whoever robs their father or mother
and says, “It’s not wrong,”
is partner to one who destroys.
²⁵ The greedy stir up conflict,
but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.
²⁶ Those who trust in themselves are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
²⁷ Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.
²⁸ When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;
but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.
Proverbs 28:18-28 (NIV)