Proverbs 28
28
If You Desert God’s Law
1The 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.
2When the country is in chaos,
everybody has a plan to fix it—
But it takes a leader of real understanding
to straighten things out.
3The wicked who oppress the poor
are like a hailstorm that beats down the harvest.
4If you desert God’s law, you’re free to embrace depravity;
if you love God’s law, you fight for it tooth and nail.
5Justice makes no sense to the evilminded;
those who seek God know it inside and out.
6It’s better to be poor and direct
than rich and crooked.
7Practice God’s law—get a reputation for wisdom;
hang out with a loose crowd—embarrass your family.
8Get 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.
9God has no use for the prayers
of the people who won’t listen to him.
10Lead good people down a wrong path
and you’ll come to a bad end;
do good and you’ll be rewarded for it.
11The rich think they know it all,
but the poor can see right through them.
12When good people are promoted, everything is great,
but when the bad are in charge, watch out!
13You can’t whitewash your sins and get by with it;
you find mercy by admitting and leaving them.
14A tenderhearted person lives a blessed life;
a hardhearted person lives a hard life.
15Lions roar and bears charge—
and the wicked lord it over the poor.
16Among leaders who lack insight, abuse abounds,
but for one who hates corruption, the future is bright.
17A murderer haunted by guilt
is doomed—there’s no helping him.
18Walk straight—live well and be saved;
a devious life is a doomed life.
Doing Great Harm in Seemingly Harmless Ways
19Work your garden—you’ll end up with plenty of food;
play and party—you’ll end up with an empty plate.
20Committed and persistent work pays off;
get-rich-quick schemes are ripoffs.
21Playing favorites is always a bad thing;
you can do great harm in seemingly harmless ways.
22A miser in a hurry to get rich
doesn’t know that he’ll end up broke.
23In the end, serious reprimand is appreciated
far more than bootlicking flattery.
24Anyone who robs father and mother
and says, “So, what’s wrong with that?”
is worse than a pirate.
25A grasping person stirs up trouble,
but trust in God brings a sense of well-being.
26If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure;
real survivors learn wisdom from others.
27Be generous to the poor—you’ll never go hungry;
shut your eyes to their needs, and run a gauntlet of curses.
28When corruption takes over, good people go underground,
but when the crooks are thrown out, it’s safe to come out.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Proverbs 28
28
1#Lev 26:17; Ps 53:5 The wicked flee when no man pursues,
but the righteous are bold as a lion.
2Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
but by a man of understanding and knowledge, it shall be prolonged.
3A poor man who oppresses the poor
is like a sweeping rain that leaves no food.
4#1Ki 18:18; Mt 3:7 Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
but such as keep instruction contend with them.
5#Ps 92:6; Jn 7:17 Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord understand all things.
6#Pr 19:1; 28:18 Better is the poor who walks in his uprightness
than he who is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7#Pr 29:3 Whoever keeps the law is a wise son,
but he who is a companion of riotous men shames his father.
8#Lev 25:36; Pr 13:22 He who by usury and unjust gain increases his substance
will gather it for him who will pity the poor.
9#Ps 109:7; Pr 15:8 He who turns away his ear from hearing instruction,
even his prayer will be an abomination.
10#Pr 26:27; Mt 6:33 Whoever causes the righteous to go astray in an evil way,
he himself will fall into his own pit;
but the upright will have good things in possession.
11#Pr 26:16 The rich man is wise in his own conceit,
but the poor who has understanding searches him out.
12#Pr 11:10; 29:2 When righteous men rejoice, there is great glory;
but when the wicked rise, a man hides himself.
13#Job 31:33; Ps 32:3–5 He who covers his sins will not prosper,
but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
14#Pr 23:17; Isa 66:2 Happy is the man who always fears,
but he who hardens his heart will fall into mischief.
15#Mt 2:16; 1Pe 5:8 As a roaring lion and a charging bear,
so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.
16#Isa 3:12 The prince who lacks understanding is also a great oppressor,
but he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
17#Ge 9:6; Ex 21:14 A man burdened with bloodshed of any person
will flee until death;
let no man help him.
18#Pr 10:9; 28:6 Whoever walks uprightly will be saved,
but he who is perverse in his ways will fall at once.
19#Pr 12:11 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows after vain things will have poverty enough.
20#Pr 28:22; 13:11 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
but he who makes haste to be rich will not be innocent.
21#Eze 13:19; Pr 18:5 To show partiality is not good,
because for a morsel of bread that man will transgress.
22#Pr 23:6; 28:20 He who hastens to be rich has an evil eye,
and does not consider that poverty will come upon him.
23#Pr 27:5–6 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
than he who flatters with the tongue.
24#Pr 18:9; 19:26 Whoever robs his father or his mother
and says, “It is no transgression,”
the same is the companion of a destroyer.
25#Pr 11:25; 15:18 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
but he who puts his trust in the Lord will prosper.
26#Pr 3:5 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
27#Pr 19:17; Dt 15:7 He who gives to the poor will not lack,
but he who hides his eyes will have many a curse.
28#Pr 28:12; Job 24:4 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;
but when they perish, the righteous increase.
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