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 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
but the righteous are bold as a lion.
² When a land transgresses, it has many rulers,
but with a man of understanding and knowledge,
its stability will long continue.
³ A poor man who oppresses the poor
is a beating rain that leaves no food.
⁴ Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law strive against them.
⁵ Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lordunderstand it completely.
⁶ Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.
⁷ The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding,
but a companion of gluttons shames his father.
⁸ Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit^[a]
gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.
⁹ If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
even his prayer is an abomination.
¹⁰ Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way
will fall into his own pit,
but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.
¹¹ A rich man is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.
¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
¹³ Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
¹⁴ Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always,
but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
¹⁶ A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
¹⁷ If one is burdened with the blood of another,
he will be a fugitive until death;^[b]
let no one help him.
¹⁸ Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered,
but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
¹⁹ Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
²⁰ A faithful man will abound with blessings,
but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
²¹ To show partiality is not good,
but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
²² A stingy man^[c] hastens after wealth
and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
²³ Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
than he who flatters with his tongue.
²⁴ Whoever robs his father or his mother
and says, “That is no transgression,”
is a companion to a man who destroys.
²⁵ A greedy man stirs up strife,
but the one who trusts in the Lordwill be enriched.
²⁶ Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
²⁷ Whoever gives to the poor will not want,
but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
²⁸ When the wicked rise, people hide themselves,
but when they perish, the righteous increase.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 28:8 That is, profit that comes from charging interest to the poor
2. Proverbs 28:17 Hebrew until the pit
3. Proverbs 28:22 Hebrew A man whose eye is evil

Cross references:

1. Proverbs 28:1 : Lev. 26:17; Ps. 53:5
2. Proverbs 28:1 : Lev. 26:8; 1 Sam. 17:32
3. Proverbs 28:2 : [1 Kgs. 15:27]; See 1 Kgs. 16:8-28; 2 Kgs. 15:8-15
4. Proverbs 28:3 : [Matt. 18:28]
5. Proverbs 28:4 : Ps. 10:3; Rom. 1:32
6. Proverbs 28:4 : [1 Kgs. 18:18, 21; Neh. 13:11, 15; Matt. 3:7; 14:4; Eph. 5:11]
7. Proverbs 28:5 : Ps. 92:6; [John 12:39, 40]
8. Proverbs 28:5 : Ps. 119:100; [John 7:17; 1 Cor. 2:15; James 1:5; 1 John 2:20, 27]
9. Proverbs 28:6 : ch. 19:1
10. Proverbs 28:6 : ver. 18
11. Proverbs 28:6 : ver. 18
12. Proverbs 28:7 : [ch. 23:20; 29:3]
13. Proverbs 28:8 : Ex. 22:25; Lev. 25:36
14. Proverbs 28:8 : See Job 27:17
15. Proverbs 28:8 : ch. 14:31
16. Proverbs 28:9 : [Ps. 109:7]; See ch. 15:8
17. Proverbs 28:10 : See Ps. 7:15
18. Proverbs 28:10 : [Matt. 6:33]
19. Proverbs 28:11 : ch. 26:5, 16
20. Proverbs 28:11 : Job 13:9
21. Proverbs 28:12 : ch. 11:10
22. Proverbs 28:12 : ver. 28; [ch. 29:2; Eccles. 10:5, 6]
23. Proverbs 28:13 : [Job 31:33; Ps. 32:3]; See 1 John 1:8-10
24. Proverbs 28:13 : Ps. 32:5; 1 John 1:9
25. Proverbs 28:14 : ch. 23:17; Isa. 66:2; Phil. 2:12
26. Proverbs 28:14 : See Ps. 95:8
27. Proverbs 28:15 : ch. 19:12; 1 Pet. 5:8
28. Proverbs 28:15 : [2 Kgs. 2:24]
29. Proverbs 28:15 : [Ex. 1:14, 16, 22; Matt. 2:16]
30. Proverbs 28:16 : See ch. 6:32
31. Proverbs 28:17 : [Gen. 9:6]
32. Proverbs 28:18 : [ch. 3:23; 10:9]
33. Proverbs 28:18 : ver. 6
34. Proverbs 28:19 : ch. 12:11
35. Proverbs 28:20 : ch. 16:5
36. Proverbs 28:21 : See ch. 18:5
37. Proverbs 28:21 : Ezek. 13:19
38. Proverbs 28:22 : See ch. 23:6
39. Proverbs 28:22 : [ver. 20]
40. Proverbs 28:22 : ch. 22:16
41. Proverbs 28:23 : ch. 27:5, 6
42. Proverbs 28:23 : ch. 29:5
43. Proverbs 28:24 : [ch. 18:9]
44. Proverbs 28:25 : See ch. 15:18
45. Proverbs 28:25 : ch. 11:25; 13:4
46. Proverbs 28:26 : [1 Cor. 3:18]
47. Proverbs 28:27 : [ch. 11:24]; See ch. 19:17
48. Proverbs 28:27 : [ch. 29:7]
49. Proverbs 28:28 : See ver. 12
50. Proverbs 28:28 : Job 24:4