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.
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 28: MSG
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
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
1The #Lev. 26:17, 36; Ps. 53:5wicked flee when no one 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
Right will be prolonged.
3#Matt. 18:28A poor man who oppresses the poor
Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.
4#Ps. 49:18; Rom. 1:32Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
#1 Kin. 18:18; Neh. 13:11, 15; Matt. 3:7; 14:4; Eph. 5:11But such as keep the law contend with them.
5#Ps. 92:6; Is. 6:9; 44:18Evil men do not understand justice,
But #Ps. 119:100; Prov. 2:9; John 17:17; 1 Cor. 2:15; (1 John 2:20, 27)those who seek the Lord understand all.
6Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father.
8One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
9One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
#Ps. 66:18; 109:7; Prov. 15:8Even his prayer is an abomination.
10#Ps. 7:15; Prov. 26:27Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He himself will fall into his own pit;
#(Matt. 6:33; Heb. 6:12; 1 Pet. 3:9)But the blameless will inherit good.
11The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
12When the righteous rejoice, there is great #Prov. 11:10; 29:2glory;
But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.
13#Ps. 32:3–5; 1 John 1:8–10He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
14Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15#Prov. 19:12; 1 Pet. 5:8Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
#Ex. 1:14; Prov. 29:2; Matt. 2:16Is a wicked ruler over poor people.
16A ruler who lacks understanding is a great #Eccl. 10:16; Is. 3:12oppressor,
But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
17#Gen. 9:6A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
Let no one help him.
18Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved,
But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
19#Prov. 12:11; 20:13He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
20A faithful man will abound with blessings,
#Prov. 13:11; 20:21; 23:4; 1 Tim. 6:9But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
21#Prov. 18:5To show partiality is not good,
#Ezek. 13:19Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
22A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
And does not consider that #Prov. 21:5poverty will come upon him.
23#Prov. 27:5, 6He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24Whoever robs his father or his mother,
And says, “It is no transgression,”
The same #Prov. 18:9is companion to a destroyer.
25#Prov. 13:10He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
#Prov. 29:25; 1 Tim. 6:6But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.
26He who #Prov. 3:5trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
27#Deut. 15:7; Prov. 19:17; 22:9He who gives to the poor will not lack,
But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
28When the wicked arise, #Job 24:4men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.