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Proverbs 28-29
New King James Version
Proverbs 28-29
New King James Version
The Righteous Are Bold as a Lion
28 The (A)wicked flee when no one pursues,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged.
6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7 Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father.
8 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
(G)Even his prayer is an abomination.
10 (H)Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He himself will fall into his own pit;
(I)But the blameless will inherit good.
11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great (J)glory;
But when the wicked arise, men [b]hide themselves.
13 (K)He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
14 Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great (N)oppressor,
But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
17 (O)A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
Let no one help him.
18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be [c]saved,
But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 (P)He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
(Q)But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
And does not consider that (T)poverty will come upon him.
23 (U)He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,
And says, “It is no transgression,”
The same (V)is companion to a destroyer.
25 (W)He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
(X)But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.
26 He who (Y)trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
27 (Z)He who gives to the poor will not lack,
But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked arise, (AA)men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Happy Is He Who Keeps the Law
29 He(AB) who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2 When the righteous [e]are in authority, the (AC)people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, (AD)the people groan.
3 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.
4 The king establishes the land by justice,
But he who receives bribes overthrows it.
5 A man who (AE)flatters his neighbor
Spreads a net for his feet.
6 By transgression an evil man is snared,
But the righteous sings and rejoices.
7 The righteous (AF)considers the cause of the poor,
But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.
8 Scoffers (AG)set a city aflame,
But wise men turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man,
(AH)Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.
12 If a ruler pays attention to lies,
All his servants become wicked.
13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
(AK)The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 The king who judges the (AL)poor with truth,
His throne will be established forever.
15 The rod and rebuke give (AM)wisdom,
But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;
But the righteous will see their (AN)fall.
17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
Yes, he will give delight to your soul.
18 (AO)Where there is no [h]revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But (AP)happy is he who keeps the law.
19 A servant will not be corrected by mere words;
For though he understands, he will not respond.
20 Do you see a man hasty in his words?
(AQ)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 He who pampers his servant from childhood
Will have him as a son in the end.
22 (AR)An angry man stirs up strife,
And a furious man abounds in transgression.
23 (AS)A man’s pride will bring him low,
But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
24 Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
(AT)He [i]swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 28:3 Lit. and there is no bread
- Proverbs 28:12 Lit. will be searched for
- Proverbs 28:18 delivered
- Proverbs 28:21 Lit. recognize faces
- Proverbs 29:2 become great
- Proverbs 29:10 Lit. soul or life
- Proverbs 29:11 Lit. spirit
- Proverbs 29:18 prophetic vision
- Proverbs 29:24 Lit. hears the adjuration or oath
- Proverbs 29:25 secure, lit. set on high
- Proverbs 29:26 Lit. face
Proverbs 28-29
New International Version
Proverbs 28-29
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.
29 Whoever remains stiff-necked(AI) after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed(AJ)—without remedy.(AK)
2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;(AL)
when the wicked rule,(AM) the people groan.(AN)
3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,(AO)
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.(AP)
4 By justice a king gives a country stability,(AQ)
but those who are greedy for[c] bribes tear it down.
5 Those who flatter their neighbors
are spreading nets for their feet.(AR)
6 Evildoers are snared by their own sin,(AS)
but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.
7 The righteous care about justice for the poor,(AT)
but the wicked have no such concern.
8 Mockers stir up a city,
but the wise turn away anger.(AU)
9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.
10 The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
and seek to kill the upright.(AV)
13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.(BA)
14 If a king judges the poor with fairness,
his throne will be established forever.(BB)
15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.(BC)
16 When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
but the righteous will see their downfall.(BD)
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
they will bring you the delights you desire.(BE)
18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.(BF)
19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
though they understand, they will not respond.
20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.(BG)
21 A servant pampered from youth
will turn out to be insolent.
22 An angry person stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.(BH)
24 The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
they are put under oath and dare not testify.(BK)
27 The righteous detest the dishonest;
the wicked detest the upright.(BQ)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 28:3 Or A poor person
- Proverbs 28:18 Syriac (see Septuagint); Hebrew into one
- Proverbs 29:4 Or who give
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.