Proverbios 28
Nueva Versión Internacional (Castilian)
28 El malvado huye aunque nadie lo persiga;
pero el justo vive confiado como un león.
2 Cuando hay rebelión en el país,
los caudillos se multiplican;
cuando el gobernante es entendido,
se mantiene el orden.
3 El gobernante[a] que oprime a los pobres
es como violenta lluvia que arrasa la cosecha.
4 Los que abandonan la ley alaban a los malvados;
los que la obedecen luchan contra ellos.
5 Los malvados nada entienden de la justicia;
los que buscan al Señor lo entienden todo.
6 Más vale pobre pero honrado
que rico pero perverso.
7 El hijo entendido se sujeta a la ley;
el derrochador deshonra a su padre.
8 El que amasa riquezas mediante la usura
las acumula para el que se compadece de los pobres.
9 Dios aborrece hasta la oración
del que se niega a obedecer la ley.
10 El que lleva a los justos por el mal camino
caerá en su propia trampa;
pero los íntegros heredarán el bien.
11 El rico se las da de sabio;
el pobre pero inteligente lo desenmascara.
12 Cuando los justos triunfan, se hace gran fiesta;
cuando los impíos se imponen, todo el mundo se esconde.
13 Quien encubre su pecado jamás prospera;
quien lo confiesa y lo deja halla perdón.
14 ¡Dichoso el que siempre teme al Señor![b]
Pero el obstinado caerá en la desgracia.
15 Un león rugiente, un oso hambriento,
es el gobernante malvado que oprime a los pobres.
16 El gobernante falto de juicio es terrible opresor;
el que odia las riquezas prolonga su vida.
17 El que es perseguido por[c] homicidio
será un fugitivo hasta la muerte.
¡Que nadie le brinde su apoyo!
18 El que es honrado se mantendrá a salvo;
el de caminos perversos caerá en la fosa.[d]
19 El que trabaja la tierra tendrá abundante comida;
el que sueña despierto[e] solo abundará en pobreza.
20 El hombre fiel recibirá muchas bendiciones;
el que tiene prisa por enriquecerse no quedará impune.
21 No es correcto mostrarse parcial con nadie.
Hay quienes pecan hasta por un mendrugo de pan.
22 El tacaño ansía enriquecerse,
sin saber que la pobreza lo aguarda.
23 A fin de cuentas, más se aprecia
al que reprende que al que adula.
24 El que roba a su padre o a su madre,
e insiste en que no ha pecado,
amigo es de gente perversa.[f]
25 El que es ambicioso provoca peleas,
pero el que confía en el Señor prospera.
26 Necio es el que confía en sí mismo;
el que actúa con sabiduría se pone a salvo.
27 El que ayuda al pobre no conocerá la pobreza;
el que le niega su ayuda será maldecido.
28 Cuando triunfan los impíos, la gente se esconde;
cuando perecen, los justos prosperan.
Footnotes
- 28:3 El gobernante (texto probable); El pobre (TM).
- 28:14 teme al Señor. Lit. teme.
- 28:17 El que es perseguido por. Alt. El que carga con la culpa de.
- 28:18 en la fosa (Siríaca); en uno (TM).
- 28:19 el que sueña despierto. Lit. el que persigue lo vacío; también en 12:11.
- 28:24 de gente perversa. Lit. del destructor.
Proverbs 28
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 28
1 The wicked flee though none pursue;
but the just, like a lion, are confident.
2 If a land is rebellious, its princes will be many;
but with an intelligent and wise ruler there is stability.[a]
3 One who is poor and extorts from the lowly
is a devastating rain that leaves no food.[b]
4 Those who abandon instruction[c] praise the wicked,
but those who keep instruction oppose them.
5 The evil understand nothing of justice,[d]
but those who seek the Lord understand everything.
6 Better to be poor and walk in integrity
than rich and crooked in one’s ways.(A)
7 Whoever heeds instruction is a wise son,
but whoever joins with wastrels disgraces his father.
8 Whoever amasses wealth by interest and overcharge[e]
gathers it for the one who is kind to the poor.
9 Those who turn their ears from hearing instruction,(B)
even their prayer is an abomination.
10 Those who mislead the upright into an evil way
will themselves fall into their own pit,
but the blameless will attain prosperity.
11 The rich are wise in their own eyes,
but the poor who are intelligent see through them.
12 When the just triumph, there is great glory;
but when the wicked prevail, people hide.[f]
13 Those who conceal their sins do not prosper,
but those who confess and forsake them obtain mercy.[g]
14 Happy those who always fear;[h]
but those who harden their hearts fall into evil.
15 A roaring lion or a ravenous bear
is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 The less prudent the rulers, the more oppressive their deeds.
Those who hate ill-gotten gain prolong their days.
17 Though a person burdened with blood guilt is in flight even to the grave,
let no one offer support.
18 Whoever walks blamelessly is safe,
but one whose ways are crooked falls into a pit.
19 Those who cultivate their land will have plenty of food,
but those who engage in idle pursuits will have plenty of want.(C)
20 The trustworthy will be richly blessed;
but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.(D)
21 To show partiality is never good:(E)
for even a morsel of bread one may do wrong.[i]
22 Misers hurry toward wealth,
not knowing that want is coming toward them.[j]
23 Whoever rebukes another wins more favor
than one who flatters with the tongue.
24 Whoever defrauds father or mother and says, “It is no sin,”(F)
is a partner to a brigand.
25 The greedy person stirs up strife,
but the one who trusts in the Lord will prosper.
26 Those who trust in themselves are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom are safe.
27 Those who give to the poor have no lack,(G)
but those who avert their eyes, many curses.
28 When the wicked prevail, people hide;
but at their fall the just abound.(H)
Footnotes
- 28:2 The first line expresses the paradox that rebellion, far from doing away with rulers, actually multiplies them. The second line is corrupt.
- 28:3 The reference may be to tax farmers who collected taxes and took a commission. The collectors’ lack of wealth was the cause of their oppression of poor farmers. They are like a rain too violent to allow crops to grow.
- 28:4 Instruction: torah; the word is used both for the teaching of the wise and the law of Moses.
- 28:5 Understanding nothing of justice plays on the twofold sense of justice as righteousness and as punishment that comes on the wicked. On the other hand, those who seek the Lord understand everything, i.e., that the Lord punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous (themselves).
- 28:8 Interest and overcharge were strictly forbidden in the old law among Israelites because it was presumed that the borrower was in distress; cf. Ex 22:25; Lv 25:35–37; Dt 23:20; Ps 15:5; Ez 18:8. Divine providence will take the offender’s wealth; cf. Eccl 2:26.
- 28:12 People react in opposite ways to the triumph of good and evil. To the triumph of good, they react by public display, public celebration, and to the triumph of evil, by hiding.
- 28:13 Concealing the faults of another is a good thing in Proverbs (17:9), but concealing one’s own sins is not. Ps 32:1–5 expresses the anguish caused by concealing one’s sins rather than bringing them to light so they can be healed by God.
- 28:14 Fear is a different verb than in the phrase “to fear (or revere) the Lord.” In its only other biblical occurrence (Is 51:13), the verb means to dread an oppressor. The saying states a paradox: those who fear in the sense of being cautious are declared happy, whereas those who are fearless will fall into traps they did not “fear.” In short, there is good fear and bad fear.
- 28:21 Cf. 24:23. Verse 21b warns that even in a light matter one must remain impartial.
- 28:22 “Bad of eye” is the Hebrew idiom for miserly. Misers fail to see that poverty is hurrying toward them because of their wrong attitude toward wealth. Because misers are “bad of eye,” they do not see the danger.
Proverbs 28
King James Version
28 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.
3 A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.
4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.
5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things.
6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7 Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.
8 He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
10 Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.
11 The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.
13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
15 As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.
16 The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
17 A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.
18 Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.
19 He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
21 To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.
22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.
23 He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.
24 Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.
25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat.
26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.
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