"You shall not distortjustice;you shall not be partial,and you shall not takea bribe,for a bribeblindsthe eyesof the wiseand pervertsthe wordsof the righteous.
He does not putout his moneyat interest,Nordoes he takea bribeagainstthe innocent.He who doesthesethingswill neverbe shaken.
"Furthermore, you shall selectout of allthe peopleablemenwho fearGod,menof truth,those who hatedishonestgain;and you shall place[these] overthem [as] leadersof thousands,of hundreds,of fiftiesand of tens.
"You shall not followthe massesin doing evil,norshall you testifyin a disputeso as to turnasideaftera multitudein order to pervert[justice];
norshall you be partialto a poormanin his dispute.
He who profitsillicitlytroubleshis own house,But he who hatesbribeswill live.
A wickedmanreceivesa bribefrom the bosomTo pervertthe waysof justice.
To showpartialityto the wickedis not good,[Nor] to thrustasidethe righteousin judgment.
Thesealsoare sayings of the wise.To showpartialityin judgmentis not good.
Do not be a witnessagainst your neighborwithoutcause,And do not deceivewith your lips.
For they will drinkand forgetwhat is decreed,And pervertthe rightsof allthe afflicted.
For oppressionmakesa wisemanmad,And a bribecorruptsthe heart.
Learnto dogood;Seekjustice,Reprovethe ruthless,Defendthe orphan,Pleadfor the widow.
Your rulersare rebelsAnd companionsof thieves;Everyonelovesa bribeAnd chasesafter rewards.They do not defendthe orphan,Nordoes the widow'spleacomebeforethem.
He who walksrighteouslyand speakswith sincerity,He who rejectsunjustgainAnd shakeshis handssothat they holdnobribe;He who stopshis earsfrom hearingabout bloodshedAnd shutshis eyesfrom lookingupon evil;
They are fat,they are sleek,They alsoexcelin deedsof wickedness;They do not pleadthe cause,The causeof the orphan,that they may prosper;And they do not defendthe rightsof the poor.
if he does not lend[money] on interestor takeincrease,[if] he keepshis handfrom iniquity[and] executestrue~justicebetweenmanand man,
"In you they have takenbribesto shedblood;you have takeninterestand profits,and you have injuredyour neighborsfor gainby oppression,and you have forgottenMe," declaresthe LordGOD.
You shall donoinjusticein judgment;you shall not be partialto the poornordeferto the great,but you are to judgeyour neighborfairly.
Concerningevil,both handsdoit well.The princeasks,also the judge,for a bribe,And a greatmanspeaksthe desireof his soul;So they weaveit together.
Thereforethe lawis ignoredAnd justiceis neverupheld.For the wickedsurroundthe righteous;Thereforejusticecomesout perverted.
Openinghis mouth,Petersaid:"I mostcertainlyunderstand[now] that Godis not one to show partiality,
But Paulsaidto them, "They have beatenus in publicwithout trial,menwho are Romans,and have thrownus into prison;and noware they sending us awaysecretly?Noindeed!But let them comethemselvesand bringus out."
ThenPaulsaidto him, "Godis goingto strikeyou, you whitewashedwall!Do you sitto tryme accordingto the Law,and in violation of the Laworderme to be struck?"
"For the LORDyour Godis the Godof godsand the Lordof lords,the great,the mighty,and the awesomeGodwhodoes not showpartialitynortakea bribe.
"You shall appointfor yourself judgesand officersin allyour townswhichthe LORDyour Godis givingyou, according to your tribes,and they shall judgethe peoplewith righteousjudgment.
"You shall not pervertthe justicedue an alien[or] an orphan,nortakea widow'sgarmentin pledge.
Cursedis he who distortsthe justicedue an alien,orphan,and widow.'And allthe peopleshall say,'Amen.'
Cursedis he who acceptsa bribeto strikedownan innocentperson.'And allthe peopleshall say,'Amen.'
"HereI am; bearwitnessagainst me beforethe LORDand His anointed.Whoseoxhave I taken,or whosedonkeyhave I taken,or whomhave I defrauded?Whomhave I oppressed,or from whosehandhave I takena bribeto blindmy eyeswith it? I will restore[it] to you."
And it cameabout whenSamuelwas oldthat he appointedhis sonsjudgesover Israel.
His sons,however, did not walkin his ways,but turnedasideafterdishonestgainand tookbribesand pervertedjustice.
