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Proverbs 28
New Living Translation
Proverbs 28
New Living Translation
28 The wicked run away when no one is chasing them,
but the godly are as bold as lions.
2 When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily.
But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.
3 A poor person who oppresses the poor
is like a pounding rain that destroys the crops.
4 To reject the law is to praise the wicked;
to obey the law is to fight them.
5 Evil people don’t understand justice,
but those who follow the Lord understand completely.
6 Better to be poor and honest
than to be dishonest and rich.
7 Young people who obey the law are wise;
those with wild friends bring shame to their parents.[a]
8 Income from charging high interest rates
will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor.
9 God detests the prayers
of a person who ignores the law.
10 Those who lead good people along an evil path
will fall into their own trap,
but the honest will inherit good things.
11 Rich people may think they are wise,
but a poor person with discernment can see right through them.
12 When the godly succeed, everyone is glad.
When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.
13 People who conceal their sins will not prosper,
but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.
14 Blessed are those who fear to do wrong,[b]
but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.
15 A wicked ruler is as dangerous to the poor
as a roaring lion or an attacking bear.
16 A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people,
but one who hates corruption will have a long life.
17 A murderer’s tormented conscience will drive him into the grave.
Don’t protect him!
18 The blameless will be rescued from harm,
but the crooked will be suddenly destroyed.
19 A hard worker has plenty of food,
but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty.
20 The trustworthy person will get a rich reward,
but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble.
21 Showing partiality is never good,
yet some will do wrong for a mere piece of bread.
22 Greedy people try to get rich quick
but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.
23 In the end, people appreciate honest criticism
far more than flattery.
24 Anyone who steals from his father and mother
and says, “What’s wrong with that?”
is no better than a murderer.
25 Greed causes fighting;
trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.
26 Those who trust their own insight are foolish,
but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.
27 Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.
28 When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.
When the wicked meet disaster, the godly flourish.
Proverbs 28
Lexham English Bible
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”
Proverbs 28
New International Version
Proverbs 28
New International Version
2 When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.
3 A ruler[a] who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.
4 Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
but those who heed it resist them.
5 Evildoers do not understand what is right,
but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.
6 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than the rich whose ways are perverse.(D)
7 A discerning son heeds instruction,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.(E)
8 Whoever increases wealth by taking interest(F) or profit from the poor
amasses it for another,(G) who will be kind to the poor.(H)
9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
even their prayers are detestable.(I)
10 Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
will fall into their own trap,(J)
but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.
11 The rich are wise in their own eyes;
one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.
12 When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;(K)
but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.(L)
13 Whoever conceals their sins(M) does not prosper,
but the one who confesses(N) and renounces them finds mercy.(O)
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(P) in the grave;
let no one hold them back.
18 The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,(Q)
but the one whose ways are perverse will fall(R) into the pit.[b]
19 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.(S)
20 A faithful person will be richly blessed,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.(T)
22 The stingy are eager to get rich
and are unaware that poverty awaits them.(X)
23 Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
rather than one who has a flattering tongue.(Y)
24 Whoever robs their father or mother(Z)
and says, “It’s not wrong,”
is partner to one who destroys.(AA)
27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,(AF)
but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.(AG)
28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;(AH)
but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 28:3 Or A poor person
- Proverbs 28:18 Syriac (see Septuagint); Hebrew into one
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Lexham English Bible (LEB)
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.