Proverbs 28

Legacy Standard Bible

28 The wicked ^(A)flee when there is no one pursuing,
But the righteous are ^[a]secure as a lion.
² By the transgression of a land ^(B)many are its princes,
But ^(C)by a man who understands, who knows, so it endures.
³ A ^(D)poor man who oppresses the lowly
Is a driving rain ^[b]which leaves no food.
⁴ Those who forsake the law ^(E)praise the wicked,
But those who keep the law ^(F)strive with them.
⁵ Evil men ^(G)do not understand justice,
But those who seek Yahweh ^(H)understand all things.
^6 (I)Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than he who is crooked—^[c]double dealing—though he be rich.
⁷ He who observes the law is a son who understands,
But he who befriends ^(J)gluttons humiliates his father.
⁸ He who increases his wealth by ^(K)interest and usury
Gathers it ^(L)for him who is gracious to the lowly.
⁹ He who turns away his ear from listening to the law,
Even his ^(M)prayer is an abomination.
¹⁰ He who leads the upright astray in an evil way
Will ^(N)himself fall into his own pit,
But the ^(O)blameless will inherit good.
¹¹ The rich man is ^(P)wise in his own eyes,
But the lowly who understands ^[d]searches him.
¹² When the ^(Q)righteous exult, there is great honor,
But ^(R)when the wicked rise, man has to be sought out.
¹³ He who ^(S)conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But he who ^(T)confesses and forsakes them will receive compassion.
¹⁴ How blessed is the man who ^(U)is always in dread,
But he who ^(V)hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
¹⁵ Like a ^(W)roaring lion and a rushing bear
Is a ^(X)wicked ruler over a poor people.
¹⁶ A ^(Y)leader who lacks discernment abounds in oppressions,
But he who hates greedy gain will prolong his days.
¹⁷ A man ^(Z)oppressed with ^(AA)the bloodguilt of life
Will flee until ^[e]death; let no one uphold him.
¹⁸ He who walks blamelessly will be saved,
But he who is ^(AB)crooked—^[f]double dealing—will fall all at once.
^19 (AC)He who cultivates his ground will be ^(AD)satisfied with food,
But he who pursues empty things will be satisfied with poverty.
²⁰ A ^(AE)faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who ^(AF)makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.
²¹ To ^[g](AG)show partiality is not good,
^(AH)Even for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
²² A man with an ^(AI)evil eye ^(AJ)hurries after wealth
And does not know that want will come upon him.
²³ He who ^(AK)reproves a man will afterward find more favor
Than he who ^(AL)flatters with the tongue.
²⁴ He who ^(AM)robs his father or his mother
And says, “It is not a transgression,”
Is the ^(AN)companion of a man who destroys.
²⁵ An ^[h]arrogant man ^(AO)stirs up strife,
But he who ^(AP)trusts in Yahweh ^(AQ)will ^[i]be enriched.
²⁶ He who ^(AR)trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But he who walks wisely will escape.
²⁷ He who ^(AS)gives to the poor will never want,
But he who ^[j]shuts his eyes will have many curses.
²⁸ When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.