Proverbs 28:1–28

¹The wicked do flee when there is no pursuer, but the righteous are like a young lion that is confident.

²Because of the transgression of a land many are its [successive] princes, but by a discerning man having knowledge of right [the prince] will remain long.

³An able‐bodied man that is of little means and that is defrauding the lowly ones is as a rain that washes away so that there is no food.

⁴Those who are leaving the law praise the wicked one, but those who are keeping the law excite themselves against them.

⁵Men given to badness cannot understand judgment, but those who are seeking Jehovah can understand everything.

⁶Better is the one of little means who is walking in his integrity than anyone crooked in [his] ways, although he is rich.

⁷An understanding son is observing the law, but one having companionship with gluttons humiliates his father.

⁸He that is multiplying his valuables by interest and usury collects them merely for the one showing favor to the lowly ones.

⁹He that is turning his ear away from hearing the law—even his prayer is something detestable.

¹⁰He that is causing the upright ones to go astray into the bad way will himself fall into his own pit, but the faultless ones themselves will come into possession of good.

¹¹A rich man is wise in his own eyes, but the lowly one who is discerning searches him through.

¹²When the righteous ones are exulting, there is abundant beauty; but when the wicked ones rise up, a man disguises himself.

¹³He that is covering over his transgressions will not succeed, but he that is confessing and leaving [them] will be shown mercy.

¹⁴Happy is the man that is feeling dread constantly, but he that is hardening his heart will fall into calamity.

¹⁵As a growling lion and an onrushing bear is a wicked ruler over a lowly people.

¹⁶A leader that is in want of true discernment is also abundant in fraudulent practices, but he that is hating unjust profit will prolong [his] days.

¹⁷A man burdened with the bloodguilt for a soul will himself flee even to the pit. Let them not get hold of him.

¹⁸He that is walking faultless will be saved, but he that is made crooked in [his] ways will fall at once.

¹⁹He that is cultivating his own ground will have his sufficiency of bread, and he that is pursuing valueless things will have his sufficiency of poverty.

²⁰A man of faithful acts will get many blessings, but he that is hastening to gain riches will not remain innocent.

²¹The showing of partiality is not good, nor that an able‐bodied man should transgress over a mere piece of bread.

²²A man of envious eye is bestirring himself after valuable things, but he does not know that want itself will come upon him.

²³He that is reproving a man will afterward find more favor than he will that is flattering with his tongue.

²⁴He that is robbing his father and his mother and is saying: “It is no transgression,” is a partner of a man causing ruination.

²⁵He that is arrogant in soul stirs up contention, but he that is relying upon Jehovah will be made fat.

²⁶He that is trusting in his own heart is stupid, but he that is walking in wisdom is the one that will escape.

²⁷He that is giving to the one of little means will have no want, but he that is hiding his eyes will get many curses.

²⁸When the wicked rise up, a man conceals himself; but when they perish, the righteous become many.