Proverbs 28
The Message
If You Desert God’s Law
28 The wicked are edgy with guilt, ready to run off
even when no one’s after them;
Honest people are relaxed and confident,
bold as lions.
2 When the country is in chaos,
everybody has a plan to fix it—
But it takes a leader of real understanding
to straighten things out.
3 The wicked who oppress the poor
are like a hailstorm that beats down the harvest.
4 If you desert God’s law, you’re free to embrace depravity;
if you love God’s law, you fight for it tooth and nail.
5 Justice makes no sense to the evilminded;
those who seek God know it inside and out.
6 It’s better to be poor and direct
than rich and crooked.
7 Practice God’s law—get a reputation for wisdom;
hang out with a loose crowd—embarrass your family.
8 Get as rich as you want
through cheating and extortion,
But eventually some friend of the poor
is going to give it all back to them.
9 God has no use for the prayers
of the people who won’t listen to him.
10 Lead good people down a wrong path
and you’ll come to a bad end;
do good and you’ll be rewarded for it.
11 The rich think they know it all,
but the poor can see right through them.
12 When good people are promoted, everything is great,
but when the bad are in charge, watch out!
13 You can’t whitewash your sins and get by with it;
you find mercy by admitting and leaving them.
14 A tenderhearted person lives a blessed life;
a hardhearted person lives a hard life.
15 Lions roar and bears charge—
and the wicked lord it over the poor.
16 Among leaders who lack insight, abuse abounds,
but for one who hates corruption, the future is bright.
17 A murderer haunted by guilt
is doomed—there’s no helping him.
18 Walk straight—live well and be saved;
a devious life is a doomed life.
Doing Great Harm in Seemingly Harmless Ways
19 Work your garden—you’ll end up with plenty of food;
play and party—you’ll end up with an empty plate.
20 Committed and persistent work pays off;
get-rich-quick schemes are ripoffs.
21 Playing favorites is always a bad thing;
you can do great harm in seemingly harmless ways.
22 A miser in a hurry to get rich
doesn’t know that he’ll end up broke.
23 In the end, serious reprimand is appreciated
far more than bootlicking flattery.
24 Anyone who robs father and mother
and says, “So, what’s wrong with that?”
is worse than a pirate.
25 A grasping person stirs up trouble,
but trust in God brings a sense of well-being.
26 If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure;
real survivors learn wisdom from others.
27 Be generous to the poor—you’ll never go hungry;
shut your eyes to their needs, and run a gauntlet of curses.
28 When corruption takes over, good people go underground,
but when the crooks are thrown out, it’s safe to come out.
Proverbs 28
Names of God Bible
28 A wicked person flees when no one is chasing him,
but righteous people are as bold as lions.
2 When a country is in revolt, it has many rulers,
but only with a person who has understanding and knowledge
will it last a long time.
3 A poor person who oppresses poorer people
is like a driving rain that leaves no food.
4 Those who abandon God’s teachings praise wicked people,
but those who follow God’s teachings oppose wicked people.
5 Evil people do not understand justice,
but those who seek Yahweh understand everything.
6 Better to be a poor person who has integrity
than to be rich and double-dealing.
7 Whoever follows God’s teachings is a wise son.
Whoever associates with gluttons disgraces his father.
8 Whoever becomes wealthy through unfair loans and interest
collects them for the one who is kind to the poor.
9 Surely the prayer of someone who refuses
to listen to God’s teachings is disgusting.
10 Whoever leads decent people into evil will fall into his own pit,
but innocent people will inherit good things.
11 A rich person is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor person with understanding sees right through him.
12 When righteous people triumph, there is great glory,
but when wicked people rise, people hide themselves.
13 Whoever covers over his sins does not prosper.
Whoever confesses and abandons them receives compassion.
14 Blessed is the one who is always fearful of sin,
but whoever is hard-hearted falls into disaster.
15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear,
so a wicked ruler is a threat to poor people.
16 A leader without understanding taxes his people heavily,
but those who hate unjust gain will live longer.
17 A person burdened with the guilt of murder
will be a fugitive down to his grave.
No one will help him.
18 Whoever lives honestly will be safe.
Whoever lives dishonestly will fall all at once.
19 Whoever works his land will have plenty to eat.
Whoever chases unrealistic dreams will have plenty of nothing.
20 A trustworthy person has many blessings,
but anyone in a hurry to get rich will not escape punishment.
21 Showing partiality is not good,
because some people will turn on you even for a piece of bread.
22 A stingy person is in a hurry to get rich,
not realizing that poverty is about to overtake him.
23 Whoever criticizes people will be more highly regarded in the future
than the one who flatters with his tongue.
24 The one who robs his father or his mother
and says, “It isn’t wrong!” is a companion to a vandal.
25 A greedy person stirs up a fight,
but whoever trusts Yahweh prospers.
26 Whoever trusts his own heart is a fool.
Whoever walks in wisdom will survive.
27 Whoever gives to the poor lacks nothing.
Whoever ignores the poor receives many curses.
28 When wicked people rise, people hide.
When they die, righteous people increase.
Proverbs 28
Tree of Life Version
Confidence, Discernment, Integrity
28 The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
2 When a country is in rebellion, it has many rulers,
but a man of discernment and knowledge maintains order.
3 A poor man who oppresses the weak
is like pounding rain without food.
4 Those who forsake Torah praise the wicked,
but those who keep Torah stir them up.
5 Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek Adonai understand it fully.
6 Better the poor who walks in his integrity
than the rich whose ways are crooked.
7 He who keeps Torah is a discerning son,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.
8 Whoever increases his wealth by exorbitant interest,
gathers it for one kinder to the poor.
9 One who turns his ear from hearing Torah
—even his prayer is an abomination.
10 One who leads the upright astray along an evil path
will fall into his own pit,
but the blameless will inherit good.
11 A rich person is wise in his own eyes,
but a discerning poor person sees through him.
12 When the righteous triumph there is great glory,
but when the wicked rise to power, people hide.
13 One who covers up his transgressions will not prosper,
but whoever confesses and forsakes them finds mercy.
14 Blessed is one who is always cautious,
but whoever hardens his heart will fall into trouble.
15 Like a roaring lion or a prowling bear
is a wicked ruler over helpless people.
16 An oppressive leader lacks judgment.
One who hates unjust gain will prolong his life.
17 A man tormented by the guilt of murder
flees to the Pit—let no one support him.
18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be safe,
but whoever is perverse in his ways will fall suddenly.
Wisdom About Finances
19 Whoever works his land will be satisfied with food,
but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
20 A faithful man will have many blessings,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.
21 To show partiality is not good—
yet for a piece of bread a man may do wrong.
22 A stingy man[a] chases after riches,
but does not know that poverty will overtake him.
23 One who rebukes a man will in the end find more favor
than one with a flattering tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother, and says, “It’s not a crime,”
is a partner to him who destroys.
25 A greedy soul stirs up strife,
but one who trusts in Adonai prospers.
26 Whoever trusts in his own heart is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom will escape.
27 One who gives to the poor will not lack,
but one who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked rise to power, people hide,
but when they perish, the righteous increase.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 28:22 Lit. a man with an evil eye.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.