A Corrupt Judge Takes Silver While a Poor Man Pleads

Prompt

Psalm 58: "Do you indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do you judge uprightly, O you sons of men? Yes, in heart you work wickedness; you weigh the violence of your hands in the earth... they are like the deaf adder that stops her ear." In the stone gateway of an Israelite town, a smug, richly dressed judge seated on a bench secretly accepts a heavy bag of silver from a wealthy man with one hand, while turning his face away and ignoring the poor, ragged farmer who kneels before him pleading with outstretched hands. The judge and the kneeling farmer are large and central. Bright midday sun casts hard shadows through the gate arch. Style: a blend of photo-realism and cinema, like a still from a big-budget film. Bright, rich, saturated, luminous colour, clear daylight or glowing golden light even in dramatic scenes, never murky or muddy, crisp detail, real human faces full of emotion, shallow depth of field, subtle film grain. Simple, uncluttered composition: ONE clear scene from this chapter, with the chapter's main character or characters large, close and central in the upper and middle frame, and a simple background. No montage, no collage, no inset vignettes, no crowd of small figures competing for attention. Historically accurate ancient Near Eastern clothing, architecture and landscape. Keep the bottom quarter of the frame simple and uncluttered (ground, water or sky) so a large chapter number can be set over it. Absolutely no text, no letters, no words, no numbers, no logos, no watermark, no border, no frame.