14 Blessed is the one who (A)fears the Lord[a] always,
    but whoever (B)hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like (C)a roaring lion or (D)a charging bear
    is (E)a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who (F)lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
    but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 If one is burdened with (G)the blood of another,
    he will be a fugitive until death;[b]
    let no one help him.
18 (H)Whoever (I)walks in integrity will be delivered,
    but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 (J)Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
    but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
    but whoever hastens to be rich (K)will not go unpunished.
21 To show (L)partiality is not good,
    but for (M)a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
22 A (N)stingy man[c] (O)hastens after wealth
    and does not know that (P)poverty will come upon him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:14 Hebrew lacks the Lord
  2. Proverbs 28:17 Hebrew until the pit
  3. Proverbs 28:22 Hebrew A man whose eye is evil

14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
    but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
    is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

16 A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
    but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

17 Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
    will seek refuge(A) in the grave;
    let no one hold them back.

18 The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,(B)
    but the one whose ways are perverse will fall(C) into the pit.[a]

19 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.(D)

20 A faithful person will be richly blessed,
    but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.(E)

21 To show partiality(F) is not good(G)
    yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.(H)

22 The stingy are eager to get rich
    and are unaware that poverty awaits them.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:18 Syriac (see Septuagint); Hebrew into one