Proverbs 28

¹The wicked have fled and there is no pursuer. And the righteous as a young lion is confident.

²By the transgression of a land many are its heads. And by an intelligent man, Who knoweth right—it is prolonged.

³A man—poor and oppressing the weak, Is a sweeping rain, and there is no bread.

⁴Those forsaking the law praise the wicked, Those keeping the law plead against them.

⁵Evil men understand not judgment, And those seeking Jehovah understand all.

⁶Better is the poor walking in his integrity, Than the perverse of ways who is rich.

⁷Whoso is keeping the law is an intelligent son, And a friend of gluttons, Doth cause his father to blush.

⁸Whoso is multiplying his wealth by biting and usury, For one favouring the poor doth gather it.

⁹Whoso is turning his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

¹⁰Whoso is causing the upright to err in an evil way, Into his own pit he doth fall, And the perfect do inherit good.

¹¹A rich man is wise in his own eyes, And the intelligent poor searcheth him.

¹²In the exulting of the righteous the glory is abundant, And in the rising of the wicked man is apprehensive.

¹³Whoso is covering his transgressions prospereth not, And he who is confessing and forsaking hath mercy.

¹⁴O the happiness of a man fearing continually, And whoso is hardening his heart falleth into evil.

¹⁵A growling lion, and a ranging bear, Is the wicked ruler over a poor people.

¹⁶A leader lacking understanding multiplieth oppressions, Whoso is hating dishonest gain prolongeth days.

¹⁷A man oppressed with the blood of a soul, Unto the pit fleeth, none taketh hold on him.

¹⁸Whoso is walking uprightly is saved, And the perverted of ways falleth at once.

¹⁹Whoso is tilling his ground is satisfied with bread, And whoso is pursuing vanity, Is filled with poverty.

²⁰A stedfast man hath multiplied blessings, And whoso is hasting to be rich is not acquitted.

²¹To discern faces is not good, And for a piece of bread doth a man transgress.

²²Troubled for wealth is the man with an evil eye, And he knoweth not that want doth meet him.

²³Whoso is reproving a man afterwards findeth grace, More than a flatterer with the tongue.

²⁴Whoso is robbing his father, or his mother, And is saying, ‘It is not transgression,’ A companion he is to a destroyer.

²⁵Whoso is proud in soul stirreth up contention, And whoso is trusting on Jehovah is made fat.

²⁶Whoso is trusting in his heart is a fool, And whoso is walking in wisdom is delivered.

²⁷Whoso is giving to the poor hath no lack, And whoso is hiding his eyes multiplied curses.

²⁸In the rising of the wicked a man is hidden, And in their destruction the righteous multiply!

Chapter 29