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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 28:1 Lit trusting
- Proverbs 28:3 Lit and there is no bread
- Proverbs 28:6 Lit two ways
- Proverbs 28:11 Or sees right through him
- Proverbs 28:17 Lit the pit
- Proverbs 28:18 Lit two ways
- Proverbs 28:21 Lit regard the face
- Proverbs 28:25 Lit broad soul
- Proverbs 28:25 Lit be made fat
- Proverbs 28:27 Lit hides
Proverbs 28
International Standard Version
Contrasting Good and Evil
28 The wicked flee, though no one pursues,
but the righteous are bold like a lion.
2 When a land transgresses,
it gains a succession of leaders,
but with an understanding and knowledgeable man,
its stability endures.
3 A poor man who oppresses the weak
is like a rainstorm that destroys all[a] the crops.
4 Those who forsake the Law praise the wicked,
but whoever keeps it[b] fights them.
5 Evil men don’t understand justice,
but whoever seeks the Lord understands it all.
6 It’s better to be poor and live a blameless life
than to be rich but crooked in one’s lifestyle.
7 Whoever keeps the Law is a discerning son,
but whoever keeps company with gluttons
brings shame to his father.
8 Whoever gains wealth by charging exorbitant[c] interest
collects it for someone who is kind to the poor.
9 If someone quits[d] listening to the Law
even his prayer is detestable.
10 Whoever misleads the upright along an evil way
will himself fall into his own pit,
but the blameless will inherit what is good.
11 The rich man may be wise in his own opinion;
but a discerning, poor man sees through him.
12 When the righteous are victorious, there is great glory,
but when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.
13 Whoever hides his transgressions will not succeed,
but whoever confesses and forsakes them will find mercy.
14 Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord,[e]
but whoever hardens his heart will fall into disaster.
15 A roaring lion and a charging bear—
that’s what a wicked tyrant is over poor people.
16 A Commander-in-Chief[f] who is a cruel oppressor lacks understanding,
but whoever hates unjust gain will live longer.[g]
17 A guilty man tormented by bloodshed
will be a lifelong fugitive;
let no one support him.
18 Whoever lives blamelessly will be delivered,
but whoever is perverted will fall without warning.
19 Whoever works his farmland will have abundant food,
but whoever chases fantasies will become very poor.
20 The faithful man will prosper with blessings,
but whoever is in a hurry to get rich
will not escape punishment.
21 To show partiality isn’t good,
yet for a piece of bread the valiant will transgress.
22 The miser[h] is in a hurry to get wealthy,
but he isn’t aware that poverty will catch up with him.
23 Whoever rebukes a man will later on find more favor
than someone who flatters with his words.[i]
24 Whoever steals from his father or mother
but claims, “It’s no sin,”
is a companion to someone who demolishes.
25 An arrogant[j] man stirs up dissension,
but anyone who trusts in the Lord prospers.
26 Whoever trusts in himself is foolish,
but whoever lives wisely will be kept safe.
27 Whoever gives to the poor will never lack,
but whoever shuts his eyes to their poverty[k] will be cursed.
28 When the wicked rise to power, people hide themselves,
but when the wicked[l] perish, the righteous increase.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 28:3 Lit. that leaves no
- Proverbs 28:4 Lit. keeps the Law
- Proverbs 28:8 Lit. charging interest upon
- Proverbs 28:9 Lit. turns away from
- Proverbs 28:14 The Heb. lacks the Lord
- Proverbs 28:16 Lit. Nagid; i.e. a senior officer entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and administrative authority
- Proverbs 28:16 Lit. will lengthen his days
- Proverbs 28:22 Lit. The man with an evil eye
- Proverbs 28:23 Lit. tongue
- Proverbs 28:25 Or greedy
- Proverbs 28:27 The Heb. lacks to their poverty
- Proverbs 28:28 Lit. when they
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