Proverbs 28

¹The wicked flee though none pursue;

but the just, like a lion, are confident.

²If a land is rebellious, its princes will be many;

but with an intelligent and wise ruler there is stability.

³One who is poor and extorts from the lowly

is a devastating rain that leaves no food.

⁴Those who abandon instruction praise the wicked,[#: torah ; the word is used both for the teaching of the wise and the law of Moses.]

but those who keep instruction oppose them.

⁵The evil understand nothing of justice,[#plays on the twofold sense of justice as righteousness and as punishment that comes on the wicked. On the other hand, ord , i.e., that the Lord punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous (themselves).]

but those who seek the Lord understand everything.

⁶Better to be poor and walk in integrity

than rich and crooked in one’s ways.

⁷Whoever heeds instruction is a wise son,

but whoever joins with wastrels disgraces his father.

⁸Whoever amasses wealth by interest and overcharge[#Interest and overcharge were strictly forbidden in the old law among Israelites because it was presumed that the borrower was in distress; cf. Ex 22:25; Lv 25:35–37; Dt 23:20; Ps 15:5; Ez 18:8. Divine providence will take the offender’s wealth; cf. Eccl 2:26.]

gathers it for the one who is kind to the poor.

⁹Those who turn their ears from hearing instruction,[#Prv 15:8; 21:27.]

even their prayer is an abomination.

¹⁰Those who mislead the upright into an evil way

will themselves fall into their own pit,

but the blameless will attain prosperity.

¹¹The rich are wise in their own eyes,

but the poor who are intelligent see through them.

¹²When the just triumph, there is great glory;

but when the wicked prevail, people hide.

¹³Those who conceal their sins do not prosper,

but those who confess and forsake them obtain mercy.

¹⁴Happy those who always fear;[#is a different verb than in the phrase “to fear (or revere) the Lord.” In its only other biblical occurrence (Is 51:13), the verb means to dread an oppressor. The saying states a paradox: those who fear in the sense of being cautious are declared happy, whereas those who are fearless will fall into traps they did not “fear.” In short, there is good fear and bad fear.]

but those who harden their hearts fall into evil.

¹⁵A roaring lion or a ravenous bear

is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

¹⁶The less prudent the rulers, the more oppressive their deeds.

Those who hate ill-gotten gain prolong their days.

¹⁷Though a person burdened with blood guilt is in flight even to the grave,

let no one offer support.

¹⁸Whoever walks blamelessly is safe,

but one whose ways are crooked falls into a pit.

¹⁹Those who cultivate their land will have plenty of food,

but those who engage in idle pursuits will have plenty of want.

²⁰The trustworthy will be richly blessed;

but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

²¹To show partiality is never good:[#Prv 24:23.]

for even a morsel of bread one may do wrong.

²²Misers hurry toward wealth,

not knowing that want is coming toward them.

²³Whoever rebukes another wins more favor

than one who flatters with the tongue.

²⁴Whoever defrauds father or mother and says, “It is no sin,”[#Mk 7:11–13.]

is a partner to a brigand.

²⁵The greedy person stirs up strife,

but the one who trusts in the Lord will prosper.

²⁶Those who trust in themselves are fools,

but those who walk in wisdom are safe.

²⁷Those who give to the poor have no lack,[#Prv 19:17; Sir 4:3–8.]

but those who avert their eyes, many curses.

²⁸When the wicked prevail, people hide;

but at their fall the just abound.