Proverbs 28
English Standard Version
28 (A)The wicked flee when no one pursues,
but (B)the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 When a land transgresses, (C)it has many rulers,
but with a man of understanding and knowledge,
its stability will long continue.
3 (D)A poor man who oppresses the poor
is a beating rain that leaves no food.
4 Those who forsake the law (E)praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law (F)strive against them.
5 Evil men (G)do not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord (H)understand it completely.
6 (I)Better is a poor man who (J)walks in his integrity
than a rich man who is (K)crooked in his ways.
7 The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,
but (L)a companion of gluttons shames his father.
8 Whoever multiplies his wealth (M)by interest and profit[a]
(N)gathers it for him who is (O)generous to the poor.
9 If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
even his (P)prayer is an abomination.
10 Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way
(Q)will fall into his own pit,
but the blameless (R)will have a goodly inheritance.
11 A rich man is wise in his (S)own eyes,
but a poor man who has understanding (T)will find him out.
12 When (U)the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
but when (V)the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
13 Whoever (W)conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who (X)confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
14 Blessed is the one who (Y)fears the Lord[b] always,
but whoever (Z)hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like (AA)a roaring lion or (AB)a charging bear
is (AC)a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who (AD)lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 If one is burdened with (AE)the blood of another,
he will be a fugitive until death;[c]
let no one help him.
18 (AF)Whoever (AG)walks in integrity will be delivered,
but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 (AH)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 (AI)will not go unpunished.
21 To show (AJ)partiality is not good,
but for (AK)a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
22 A (AL)stingy man[d] (AM)hastens after wealth
and does not know that (AN)poverty will come upon him.
23 Whoever (AO)rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
than (AP)he who flatters with his tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother
and says, “That is no transgression,”
is (AQ)a companion to a man who destroys.
25 A greedy man (AR)stirs up strife,
but the one who trusts in the Lord will (AS)be enriched.
26 Whoever (AT)trusts in his own mind is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
27 Whoever (AU)gives to the poor will not want,
but he who (AV)hides his eyes will get many a curse.
28 When (AW)the wicked rise, (AX)people hide themselves,
but when they perish, the righteous increase.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 28:8 That is, profit that comes from charging interest to the poor
- Proverbs 28:14 Hebrew lacks the Lord
- Proverbs 28:17 Hebrew until the pit
- Proverbs 28:22 Hebrew A man whose eye is evil
Proverbs 28
Lexham English Bible
28 The wicked flee, but no one pursues,
but the righteous is bold like a lion.
2 By the rebellion of a land, her rulers increase,
but by a person of intelligence who knows justice, it will last.
3 A man who is poor and oppresses the impoverished
is a beating rain that leaves[a] no food.
4 Those who forsake instruction will praise the wicked,
but they who guard instruction will struggle against them.
5 Men of evil do not understand justice,
but seekers of Yahweh understand completely.[b]
6 Better to be poor and walking in one’s integrity
than to be crooked of ways when one is rich.
7 He who keeps instruction is a child of understanding,
but the companion of gluttons will shame his father.
8 He who augments his wealth with interest and with usury
gathers it for him who is kind to the poor.
9 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
- Proverbs 28:3 Literally “and there is”
- Proverbs 28:5 Or “everything”
- Proverbs 28:14 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 28:16 Hebrew “and”
- Proverbs 28:16 Or “prolong”
- Proverbs 28:17 Literally “life”
- Proverbs 28:21 Literally “Recognizing faces”
- Proverbs 28:22 Literally “a man of evil of eye”
- Proverbs 28:25 Literally “wide soul”
- Proverbs 28:26 Or “mind,” or “sense”
- Proverbs 28:27 Hebrew “those”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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