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28 The wicked flee even though no one is pursuing them,
but the righteous are bold like a lion.
A rebellious land has many rulers,
but one man with understanding and knowledge provides stability.
A poor man who oppresses the poor
    is a driving rain that leaves no food.
Those who abandon the law[a] praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law oppose them.
Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord understand everything.
Better a poor person who walks in his integrity
    than a rich person who is hypocritical.[b]
The son who keeps the law has understanding,
but a companion of gluttons brings shame upon his father.
A person who increases his wealth by piling up interest
    gathers it for someone who is generous to the needy.
A person who turns his ear away from the law—
    even his prayer is an abomination.
10 A person who leads the upright along an evil way
will fall into his own pit,
but people of integrity will inherit good.
11 A wealthy person is wise in his own eyes,
but a needy person with understanding will expose him.
12 When the righteous triumph, there is much celebration,[c]
but when the wicked rise to power, people hide.
13 A person who conceals his sins will not prosper,
but one who confesses and abandons them will receive mercy.
14 Blessed is the person who always is afraid of sin,
but one who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 A wicked ruler over a poor people
    is a growling lion or a charging bear.
16 When a ruler lacks understanding, there will be much oppression,
but one who hates ill-gotten gain prolongs his days.
17 A person haunted by the guilt of bloodshed
    will be a fugitive until he goes down to the pit.
No one should offer him support.
18 A person who walks with integrity will be saved,
but a person whose ways are crooked will fall all at once.
19 A person who works his land will have plenty of food,
but whoever pursues fantasies will have plenty of poverty.
20 A trustworthy person has many blessings,
but a person in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.
21 Showing favoritism is not good,
but a man may sin for a piece of bread.
22 A tightfisted person is in a hurry to get rich,
but he does not know that poverty is coming his way.
23 In the end a person who corrects someone will find more favor
    than a person with a flattering tongue.
24 A person who robs his father and his mother
and says, “It’s not a sin,” is no better than[d] a vandal.
25 A greedy person stirs up strife,
but a person who trusts in the Lord will prosper.
26 A person who trusts in his own ideas is a fool,
but a person who walks in wisdom will be kept safe.
27 A person who gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but a person who closes his eyes to them will receive many curses.
28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding,
but when the wicked perish, the righteous increase.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:4 Or instruction or teaching
  2. Proverbs 28:6 Or twisted in his two ways
  3. Proverbs 28:12 Or confidence. Literally splendor.
  4. Proverbs 28:24 Or a partner to

28 The wicked flee, but no one pursues,
    but the righteous is bold like a lion.
By the rebellion of a land, her rulers increase,
    but by a person of intelligence who knows justice, it will last.
A man who is poor and oppresses the impoverished
    is a beating rain that leaves[a] no food.
Those who forsake instruction will praise the wicked,
    but they who guard instruction will struggle against them.
Men of evil do not understand justice,
    but seekers of Yahweh understand completely.[b]
Better to be poor and walking in one’s integrity
    than to be crooked of ways when one is rich.
He who keeps instruction is a child of understanding,
    but the companion of gluttons will shame his father.
He who augments his wealth with interest and with usury
    gathers it for him who is kind to the poor.
He who turns his ear from listening to instruction,
    even his prayer is an abomination.
10 He who misleads the upright onto the way of evil,
    into his pits he will fall.
    But as for the blameless, they will inherit good.
11 A man of wealth is wise in his own eyes,
    but the intelligent poor sees through him.
12 When the righteous triumphs, great is the glory,
    but with the rising of the wicked, a person will be hidden.
13 He who conceals his transgression will not prosper,
    but he who confesses and forsakes will obtain mercy.
14 Happy is the person who fears continuously,
    but he who is stubborn of heart,[c] will fall into calamity.
15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
    is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is[d] a cruel oppressor,
    but those who hate unjust gain will have long[e] days.
17 A person who is burdened with the blood of another,[f]
    until death he will flee;
    do not take hold of him.
18 He who walks in integrity will be safe,
    but he who takes crooked paths will fall in one.
19 He who tills his ground will have plenty bread,
    but he who follows fantasies will have plenty of poverty.
20 A man of faithfulness has abundant blessings,
    but he who hurries to become rich will not go unpunished.
21 Showing partiality[g] is not good,
    and over a morsel of bread, a strong man will do wrong.
22 He who hurries for wealth is a man with an evil eye,[h]
    but he does not know that poverty will come upon him.
23 He who rebukes a person will afterward find more favor
    than he who flatters with the tongue.
24 He who robs his father and his mother and says, “There is no crime,”
    is partner to a man who corrupts.
25 The greedy person[i] will stir up strife,
    but he who trusts in Yahweh will be enriched.
26 He who trusts in his own heart[j] is a fool,
    but he who walks in wisdom will be saved.
27 For he who gives to the poor, there is no lacking,
    but for he[k] who turns his eyes, there are many curses.
28 With the rising of the wicked, humankind will be hidden,
    and with their perishing, the righteous will multiply.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:3 Literally “and there is”
  2. Proverbs 28:5 Or “everything”
  3. Proverbs 28:14 Or “mind”
  4. Proverbs 28:16 Hebrew “and”
  5. Proverbs 28:16 Or “prolong”
  6. Proverbs 28:17 Literally “life”
  7. Proverbs 28:21 Literally “Recognizing faces”
  8. Proverbs 28:22 Literally “a man of evil of eye”
  9. Proverbs 28:25 Literally “wide soul”
  10. Proverbs 28:26 Or “mind,” or “sense”
  11. Proverbs 28:27 Hebrew “those”