Proverbs 28

The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are ^[a]bold as a lion.

The wicked are edgy with guilt, ready to run off
    even when no one’s after them;
Honest people are relaxed and confident,
    bold as lions.

By the transgression of a land many are its princes,
But by a man of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.

    When the country is in chaos,
    everybody has a plan to fix it—
But it takes a leader of real understanding
    to straighten things out.

A poor man who oppresses the lowly
Is like a driving rain ^[b]which leaves no food.

The wicked who oppress the poor
are like a hailstorm that beats down the harvest.

Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
But those who keep the law strive with them.

If you desert God’s law, you’re free to embrace depravity;
if you love God’s law, you fight for it tooth and nail.

Evil men do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord understand all things.

Justice makes no sense to the evilminded;
those who seek God know it inside and out.

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than he who is ^[c]crooked though he be rich.

It’s better to be poor and direct
    than rich and crooked.

He who keeps the law is a discerning son,
But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.

Practice God’s law—get a reputation for wisdom;
    hang out with a loose crowd—embarrass your family.

He who increases his wealth by interest and usury
Gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.

Get as rich as you want
    through cheating and extortion,
But eventually some friend of the poor
    is going to give it all back to them.

He who turns away his ear from listening to the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.

God has no use for the prayers
    of the people who won’t listen to him.

He who leads the upright astray in an evil way
Will himself fall into his own pit,
But the blameless will inherit good.

Lead good people down a wrong path
    and you’ll come to a bad end;
    do good and you’ll be rewarded for it.

The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding ^[d]sees through him.

The rich think they know it all,
    but the poor can see right through them.

When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
But when the wicked rise, men ^[e]hide themselves.

When good people are promoted, everything is great,
    but when the bad are in charge, watch out!

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.

You can’t whitewash your sins and get by with it;
    you find mercy by admitting and leaving them.

How blessed is the man who fears always,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

A tenderhearted person lives a blessed life;
    a hardhearted person lives a hard life.

Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear
Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

Lions roar and bears charge—
    and the wicked lord it over the poor.

A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,
But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

Among leaders who lack insight, abuse abounds,
    but for one who hates corruption, the future is bright.

A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood
Will ^[f]be a fugitive until death; let no one support him.

A murderer haunted by guilt
    is doomed—there’s no helping him.

He who walks blamelessly will be delivered,
But he who is ^[g]crooked will fall all at once.

Walk straight—live well and be saved;
    a devious life is a doomed life.

He who tills his land will have plenty of food,
But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.

Work your garden—you’ll end up with plenty of food;
    play and party—you’ll end up with an empty plate.

A faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.

Committed and persistent work pays off;
    get-rich-quick schemes are ripoffs.

To ^[h]show partiality is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

Playing favorites is always a bad thing;
    you can do great harm in seemingly harmless ways.

A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth
And does not know that want will come upon him.

A miser in a hurry to get rich
    doesn’t know that he’ll end up broke.

He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
Than he who flatters with the tongue.

In the end, serious reprimand is appreciated
    far more than bootlicking flattery.

He who robs his father or his mother
And says, “It is not a transgression,”
Is the companion of a man who destroys.

Anyone who robs father and mother
    and says, “So, what’s wrong with that?”
    is worse than a pirate.

An ^[i]arrogant man stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the Lord will ^[j]prosper.

A grasping person stirs up trouble,
    but trust in God brings a sense of well-being.

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But he who walks wisely will be delivered.

If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure;
    real survivors learn wisdom from others.

He who gives to the poor will never want,
But he who ^[k]shuts his eyes will have many curses.

Be generous to the poor—you’ll never go hungry;
    shut your eyes to their needs, and run a gauntlet of curses.

When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.